And So They Met
by DragonSorceress22
Summary: A collection of fun little stories about how Shinichi and Kaito might meet for the first time, inspired by tumblr prompts.
1. Chapter 1

Beta'd by solomonara over on AO3. I'd like to link to the tumblr post that inspired all this, but I'm kind of hating ff-net A LOT right now so… Anyway, the prompts will be given at the beginning of each story.

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"I rented the apartment above your flower shop and in the last two months you've gotten a new flower I'm allergic to so I keep buying bouquets until I can figure out which kind it is" au

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 _Flower Shop_

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It was all Akako's fault.

Kaito swore under his breath as he shoved the last of the storage crates into place on a shelf in the back of his new shop and trudged through the door to survey his work from behind the counter.

"This is gonna be such a disaster," he muttered.

Every wall of the small space was bursting with roses of every conceivable color in lush, full blooms and sleek buds and everything in between. And that wasn't even all of them.

Kaito edged out from behind the counter and over to the door, flipping the "OPEN" sign with slight trepidation. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to sell the roses that Akako had somehow enchanted to multiply at a frighteningly fast pace, but he had to do _something_ with them. And, well, as long as Snake was still after him, he couldn't exactly pursue his career as a magician. Might as well be a florist. Why not.

And then _Kudou Shinichi_ had walked into the shop.

It might not have been quite as much of a shock, Kaito speculated as he felt the color drain out of his face, if the detective had come through the front door, like a normal, harmless customer. But no. He'd come from a door near the back, off to the side of the counter. As in, the door to the back hallway that led up to the apartment above the shop.

Of course.

Shinichi stopped short, looking up abruptly from his phone as the door eased softly shut behind him of its own accord. "Whoa," he said. His eyes instantly moved to the counter where Kaito had hastily shoved an honest-to-goodness _visor_ onto his forehead to at least somewhat block his face from view. "I heard someone had finally rented this shop," Shinichi said. "But I can't say I was expecting a garden to crop up overnight."

"Yeah, me neither," Kaito muttered under his breath.

"What's that?" Shinichi asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing."

"Sorry, um, I should have introduced myself first. I'm Kudou Shinichi. I live in the apartment above your shop." He moved toward the counter and Kaito shifted over a little so that the light directly above him would cast a darker shadow.

"Right. Nice to meet you. Um, I'm Kuroba."

Shinichi just nodded. "Nice to meet you. See you around, I guess." He headed for the door and out onto the street and Kaito let out a pathetic little moan of misery as he folded over the counter. He was so, absolutely, unequivocally screwed.

.

It wasn't long before Kaito realized that a flower shop that only sold roses was somewhat lacking. Some restocking and rearranging later, he was prepared to offer his customers (of which he had many more than he'd ever thought he would given that he couldn't be bothered to advertise) a wide variety of custom arrangements.

He'd also noticed himself becoming dangerously comfortable with the comings and goings of his detective neighbor. From what Kaito could tell in his first few weeks of shop keeping, Shinichi kept strange hours (though he supposed he wasn't one to talk) and was usually distracted when he passed through the shop, though he never failed to greet Kaito, no matter how absently he did it.

But then one day something suddenly changed. Shinichi began cutting through the shop as quickly as possible, and it might have been Kaito's imagination but it seemed like he'd started avoiding Kaito's eyes when he greeted him as well.

 _I hope he's not getting sick,_ Kaito thought as he pulled apart clusters of pale blue baby's breath to fill out an arrangement for the customer waiting at the counter. _Seems like he's been sneezing a lot lately._

It was right around that moment that Kaito realized he'd gotten used to Shinichi being around. That was… an odd sort of feeling. He shrugged it off, though, and wrapped the arrangement he was working on, handing it to the old man across the counter.

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The few days Kaito didn't see Shinichi at all left a distracting unease in Kaito's chest. That unease flared into something hot and uncomfortable when he realized Shinichi had started using what must have been his fire escape to enter and exit his apartment rather than pass through the shop. This went on for a few more days, and Kaito finally resolved himself to go up and ask Shinichi about it. He was waiting for closing time so he could do just that when Shinichi slowly opened the side door and stepped into the shop. Sulking, Kaito didn't bother to pick up the visor. He regretted it almost immediately when Shinichi walked right up to the counter.

"Hey," he said casually, but he was still avoiding Kaito's eyes, which, Kaito supposed, was probably fortunate since it was way too late for him to cover his face without it looking suspicious. If Shinichi wasn't going to look directly at him, so much the better.

"Hey," Kaito answered. "Haven't seen you in a while. Been busy?" _Avoiding me?_ he added silently and with definite petulance. _Which is fine. Good, even. Definitely better than, say, arresting me for jewel theft._

"Sort of," Shinichi hedged. "Is there…?" he trailed off, seemed to think something through, clearly changed his mind about something, and started over. "I'd like to buy some flowers."

Kaito blinked back at him dumbly. "Really," he eventually managed with all skepticism. Shinichi stole a quick glance at him then and Kaito thought he noticed red rimming what were normally sharp and watchful eyes. His brain spiraled recklessly into an image of Shinichi crying and he flinched. "Is everything okay?" he asked quickly. Had someone died? His childish moping about Shinichi's odd behavior seemed extremely ridiculous and petty now.

"Everything's fine," Shinichi answered. "I just thought I'd get something to brighten up the apartment. I… never really bothered to decorate actually. You know."

"Sure," Kaito answered slowly, not sure at all if he believed it. "What did you have in mind?"

"Anything but roses," Shinichi answered immediately and Kaito tried not to take offense to that. He failed spectacularly, but he was pretty sure he at least didn't show it. "Um, what do you have that's new?"

Kaito's eyes moved instantly over the clusters of gladioli and white lilies, and he thought of the few funeral arrangements he'd made recently. "…I have some asters," he said instead, pointing to a large bucket of cheerful looking purple and blue flowers. Shinichi sneezed.

"Sure."

Kaito moved out from behind the counter and selected a few then paused in front of his rows of filler flowers. "Do you want a full arrangement?" he asked uncertainly.

"No, just the asters. That's fine," Shinichi answered, maybe just a bit quickly. Kaito rang them up and Shinichi thanked him, still avoiding his eyes all the while, then bid him a quick goodnight before heading right back through the side door and up to his apartment.

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The next day Shinichi came by just before closing time once again. "Do you–?" He cut himself off with a sneeze and Kaito frowned, eyebrows creasing together. Wasn't a few weeks a bit long for a cold to still be hanging around?

"Sorry," Shinichi said. "I should have worn a mask. Anyway, I was wondering if you could recommend any other flowers."

"…For your apartment?" Kaito asked.

Shinichi just shrugged unhelpfully and Kaito glanced around for something that wouldn't look too strange if Shinichi put them together with the asters he'd bought yesterday.

"Maybe chrysanthemums?" he suggested. Again, Shinichi agreed with hardly a glance at the blossoms and Kaito wrapped a few up in paper.

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Kaito was ready for him the third day, his visor set low over his eyes, and he stopped Shinichi before he could speak through the white mask the detective was wearing over his mouth and nose.

"Not what you were looking for, huh?" he said, and something flickered in Shinichi's eyes, but Kaito was too distracted by how bloodshot they were to interpret the meaning.

"I guess not," Shinichi agreed slowly.

"Let's try this then." Kaito moved through the shop, picking out one of each flower (except the roses) and bringing the collection to the counter. "Why don't you go ahead and take these. You can come back tomorrow and let me know if you decide you want more of a particular one." He could see something relax in Shinichi's expression – what little of it he could see above the face mask. "No charge," he added, even as he wondered why he still felt like helping Shinichi with whatever bizarre issue he was having. _Well, for all I know, he's trying to identify exactly the right flower that will expose a murderer or something,_ he reasoned. _It's for a good cause._

Shinichi tried to insist on paying, but Kaito simply ushered him from the shop instead and ignored the feeling Shinichi's strangely heartfelt thanks had stirred up inside him.

But the next morning, before the shop even opened, Shinichi was back again and looking somewhat miserable.

"Look, Kudou-kun, I think I'd be able to do more for you if you just tell me what's going on," Kaito said, leaning his hip against the counter and folding his arms. He'd been setting up a display in the window when Shinichi had walked in, so he was without his visor again, but he didn't have it in him to care anymore. He just wanted to know what the deal was.

Shinichi sighed a little, then sneezed again. "I think I'm allergic to something in your shop," he admitted, and Kaito eyes went wide as he stared.

"Oh, _geez,_ of course you are!" he finally said, dropping his forehead into his palm. "I am such an idiot. Why didn't you just say so?"

"I was trying not to cause problems for you," Shinichi replied a little defensively. "But not cutting through the shop felt like avoiding you and– Look, can we just figure this out and I'll steer clear of whatever it is from now on?"

"Well you've got pretty much every flower I stock," Kaito said. "It wasn't any of those?"

Shinichi shook his head.

"Wait… Are you sure it's not the roses? Why did you exclude those so quickly?"

"What are you talking about? Of course it's not the roses. You've–"

He stopped himself again and Kaito tilted his head, regarding him with a bemused expression.

"I'm not allergic to roses," Shinichi said. "I was fine when you first opened the shop, remember?"

"Oh, right," Kaito said and something changed again in Shinichi's expression that Kaito couldn't quite place. He brushed it off. "Then it's got to be something else…" He looked around the shop again, wandering through the aisles, but nothing jumped out at him as the missing link. Not until he returned to the counter and saw the rows of filler flowers he kept there for arrangements. With a thoughtful hum, he scrutinized them, then plucked a long stem with green bell-shaped blossoms from its bin and held it out to Shinichi. "Try this one."

Shinichi hesitantly took the flower and brought it up to his nose. A violent succession of sneezes followed and Shinichi dropped the offending plant, his eyes watering as he covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve.

"We have a winner," Kaito said, and he was grinning without reservation now. Shinichi looked up and gave him a watery glare.

"What _is_ that?"

"Molucella," Kaito said, picking up the flower and tucking it back into its bin. "Also called Bells of Ireland. They're supposed to be good luck." He turned back to Shinichi, still grinning. "No wonder you're allergic."

That earned him one last glare, but then Shinichi sneezed again and he muttered miserably, "Is there… I mean, I don't want you to get _rid_ of them or anything, but–"

"I'll keep them in the back," Kaito answered instantly, already lifting the bin out of the line. He disappeared through a door and closed it behind him when he returned.

"Sorry," Shinichi said.

"Don't be." Kaito smiled at him and was pleased that Shinichi looked relieved. "I'm just glad you don't have something against my roses. Or, you know, me."

"Heh. And here I thought maybe you _wanted_ to keep me out of your shop."

"Why would I want that?" Kaito asked before remembering that, yes, actually, he probably should want that. He suddenly wished he was wearing his visor, because Shinichi was giving him that _look_. That predatory look and arrogant smirk that meant too many good things to Kaito, even with Shinichi bleary-eyed and pink-cheeked and standing in Kaito's flower shop while Kaito's face was completely exposed.

"Because maybe I already know that you've given me roses before, KID."

Kaito froze. _Well, shit._

"Relax," Shinichi said. "You're off limits, remember." He shrugged a little and sniffed. "And as long as you are, do you want to come up and have dinner sometime?"

He knew he was staring but Kaito couldn't help it because that… had sort of sounded like…

A grin broke over Kaito's face. "In that case…" He held his hand out to Shinichi and a red rose appeared between his fingers. Shinichi took it, smiling a little. "I'll see you tonight, Tantei-kun~"


	2. Chapter 2

"It's raining and you forgot your umbrella so come over and stand under mine while we wait for the bus" au

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 _Into Every Life…_

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Kaito doubled over, hands on his knees, gasping to catch his breath when he finally made it to the bus stop. He'd actually managed to make it with a few minutes to spare after all.

Then a crack of thunder shivered through the air and already he could hear the soft beat of rain striking the sidewalk.

Kaito looked up at the dark sky and a single drop landed on his cheek before a grey umbrella suddenly moved into his field of vision, covering him as the drizzle rushed into a downpour all around him. His eyes moved down to the person holding it and he felt instinct kick in, freezing his features in a neutral expression as he realized who it was.

Kudou Shinichi was standing much too close, facing him with only the umbrella in between, meeting his eyes.

For one hopeful moment, Kaito thought maybe Shinichi wasn't making the dangerous connections he had always assumed would be made if he ever ran into the detective as Kuroba Kaito. He didn't have as much experience dealing with Shinichi at eyelevel, of course, but he was still pretty sure that that calm, steady gaze meant he was in the clear. Shinichi looked away, turning a little to watch the shimmering splashes kicking up on the pavement under the streetlights and Kaito swallowed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, KID," Shinichi said.

Kaito froze again instantly, hoping he'd misheard and knowing that he hadn't. A slow rumble built and rolled across the sky in the distance.

 _Well… It had to happen sometime, I guess._

The sidewalk all around them was empty, the sheets of rain creating the illusion of privacy where they stood close together under Shinichi's umbrella, getting drenched regardless. He looked back to Shinichi who glanced at him again and smiled a little. Kaito let out a breath and smiled too. Then he turned and pressed his back to Shinichi's looking up at the dark sky beyond the edge of the umbrella.

"Hey, Tantei-kun."

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… _A Little Rain Must Fall_

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Shinichi glanced down at his watch. _A few more minutes until the bus comes. I hope the rain holds off a little longer._

He was staring up at the darkening sky when a young man ran up, coming to a stop right beside him and bending over with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

 _Made it just in time, huh?_ Shinichi thought absently. Then a snap of thunder ushered in the first of the rain and Shinichi quickly tugged his umbrella free from his bag. He was just about to open it when the young man looked up, turning his face to the sky, and Shinichi stopped short, staring.

 _No way…_

More drops began to fall and he shook himself from his surprise to put up the umbrella, moving a little closer to the man and holding it over them both. He looked at Shinichi then and their eyes met, but there was no sign of recognition there. Shinichi watched him for just a few moments more then turned toward the street again.

"Hey, KID," he said.

He felt the man stiffen beside him as another swell of thunder built under the sound of the rain. Shinichi glanced over at him and couldn't help the little smile that came to his lips. All at once the tension went out of KID and he smiled too, turning to press his back to Shinichi's. Shinichi leaned against him, sharing warmth under the too-small umbrella, and closed his eyes.

"Hey, Tantei-kun."


	3. Chapter 3

"Accidentally fell in your lap while standing on this crowded bus" au

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 _The Bus Rescue_

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Shibuya on a normal day was crowded. Shibuya on the day of a KID heist was ridiculous. The heist wasn't even until late that night, but already the streets and sidewalks seemed packed with people.

"Come on, Conan-kun. This is the bus we need," Ran said, holding tight to Conan's hand and pulling him onto an overcrowded bus bound for the museum where KID's target was on display.

"Couldn't Sonoko-neechan send a car?" he complained as they pushed their way in.

"She forgot," Ran said, apologetic. "And it would take twice as long if we had to wait for her to send one to us now in this traffic. It's not a long ride. It'll be okay."

It was not, in fact, okay.

At the very next stop, another dozen people tried to force their way on board, and Ran lost her grip on Conan's hand as people squeezed between them.

"Ran-neechan–" Conan tried to call, but he couldn't even see her anymore, and then a heavy pair of boots was suddenly backing toward him and he was out of space to move.

"Watch it!"

Conan felt a rough tug on the back of his jacket and then he was jerked upward, right off of his feet, narrowly missing the large man who was now standing exactly where he'd been a moment before. He let out a little breath of relief, staring back at the crush of people, then turned to face his rescuer, in whose lap he seemed to have landed.

"Thanks onii–" he started to say, but he stopped short when he saw the person's face. There were a few seconds of silent staring, his mouth still open, before he pointed at the young man and started to shout, "KI–!"

He was abruptly turned around, his back to KID's chest, and a hand clamped down over his mouth before he could finish the name. An arm settled across his stomach, holding him in place, and fingers locked tight around his wrist, keeping him from the trigger of his anesthetic watch.

"eh ee mn!" Conan demanded, pulling futilely at the hand over his face. He took in a sharp breath through his nose and switched to clinging when KID suddenly stood, still clutching Conan to his chest as he pushed through the people and jumped off of the bus just as the doors were closing. It pulled away from the curb and Conan let out a muffled, frustrated groan then made a halfhearted attempt at biting KID. It didn't work.

Resigned, Conan let KID carry him through the side door of the nearest building, not even bothering to shout when KID released his mouth to pick the lock. On the roof, he finally let him go.

Conan wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and scowled up at KID. "You realize you just kidnapped me, right? In front of a busload of witnesses."

"Oh give me a break," KID said, rolling his eyes, and Conan suddenly felt a little strange to be looking right at him, with no hat or monocle between them. "Diffusion of responsibility," KID went on. "Everyone assumed someone else would act, and when no one did they all decided they must have been mistaken and that everything was actually fine. And anyway, I _rescued_ you. Again. You're welcome."

"' _Rescued_ '?! I've never needed you to _rescue_ me."

KID raised an eyebrow and put his hands on his hips, leaning over him slightly. "I can think of half a dozen times I saved your life just off the top of my head," he said matter-of-factly.

"So what?" Conan replied, sounding purposefully unimpressed. "That's just payback for all the times I let you run off instead of turning you in."

"Geez, why are detectives so thickheaded? You didn't _let_ me do anything," he said, leaning down farther to jab a poke at Conan's chest. "You can't catch me and you know it."

He was answered with a predictable scoff. "Then why were you so freaked out that you jumped off the bus and _kidnapped_ me?"

"Well I wasn't about to let go of you and I didn't think your hundredth degree black belt girlfriend would take kindly to that."

"She's not my girlfriend, idiot. We broke up."

KID straightened up, blinking dumbly at Conan for a few seconds before he said carefully, "You… what?"

"We broke up," Conan repeated. "A few months ago."

"Oh. Sorry…"

Conan rolled his eyes. "Shut up, no you're not. It was mutual anyway."

"That's good I guess," KID mumbled, looking at some spot of roof off to the side as his hand moved through his hair. Then his eyes abruptly locked onto Conan's again, soft, and he murmured, "It really does suck to be stuck like that, doesn't it." He was meeting his eyes, and Conan's sharp reply was a beat late and a little forced.

"What's it to you?" he said.

"Nothing! I was just sympathizing–" KID cut himself off at the skeptical look Conan was leveling at him. "Oh shut up," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "We're in more similar boats than you realize, you know."

"Is that right," Conan said with a heavy layer of sarcasm.

"Well _yeah._ There aren't many people who can relate to the whole double life thing."

Conan had had every intention of finding a flaw in that logic, but then KID's arms dropped to his sides again and he closed his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh.

"…Hey," he said. "If I tell you my name, it's outside of a heist so you won't use it against me, right?"

" _What_?!" Conan choked out.

"And I mean if you do I could always reveal who _you_ are… I don't think I ever would though. Cause that would be… really kind of awful of me. You know?"

"KID…"

"Kuroba Kaito," KID said, and Conan couldn't help but appreciate the way he held out his hand to him without crouching down to do it, meeting his eyes with respect.

Conan was in no position to turn away someone who actually saw him for who he was, he realized, even while he'd been acting so childish. He took KID's hand. "Nice to meet you, Kuroba."

KID's smile was a mixture of happiness and relief. He stepped back from Conan and tucked his hands into his pockets, looking just a little embarrassed as he said, "I was uh… I was headed to the museum. Do you maybe want to come with me?"

"Heh." Conan stuffed his own hands into his pockets as well and shrugged. "Sure, why not. But as soon as the heist starts–"

"All bets are off," KID agreed, grinning. "Of course. I'll look forward to it, Tantei-kun~!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Accidentally got assigned the same library study room so I guess we'll have to share for the semester" au

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You know, it's possible I didn't really understand what this prompt was talking about, so here's my awkward take on it.

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 _S is for Study_

 _._

The first time it happened, Shinichi, of course, thought nothing of it.

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Kaito opened the door into the disused stairwell and headed up toward an old theatre practice room in one of the buildings on campus. It was usually empty on weekdays, and he liked the back-to-basics feel of the small stage and folding-chair audience area, but he had a more practical reason for coming today.

He reached the top of the stairs and opened the door to the practice room, stopping immediately in the doorway when he realized someone was already there. Kudou Shinichi was sitting on the floor, his legs crossed and a textbook open in front of him, several pages of notes spread alongside it. He looked up, and for a moment Kaito's body tensed, ready to duck or run. It was a built-in reaction by now any time he saw the detective when he wasn't expecting to. But they had seen each other around campus before now. They had never actively acknowledged each other, but there had been enough brief, critical glances for Kaito to know that he _knew_. Still, their unspoken agreement that Shinichi would not pursue him outside of heists seemed to hold strong. But now…

 _It would be way too awkward to just turn around and leave,_ Kaito thought. _There's really no harm in it, right? He's obviously up here to study. I am too. It doesn't have to be awkward. We'll just ignore each other and study. Right._

"Do you mind?" Kaito asked, his voice sounding far more relaxed than he actually felt. He lifted the book bag from his shoulder, holding it up for Shinichi to see. "Everywhere else is sort of–"

"Distracting?" Shinichi finished for him. Some kind of exciting win had happened for the college's baseball team. Neither Shinichi nor Kaito particularly cared, but a large and extremely vocal portion of the campus (including Hattori) was intent on telling the world about it. Kaito gave a little nod and Shinichi shrugged. "Go ahead."

Kaito let the door ease shut behind him and went up onto the stage. He pulled his books out and spread them over the old boards, settling in so that he wasn't quite angled to face Shinichi, but so that he could still keep an eye on him.

Very little studying happened after that point. The two spent so much time stealing curious but uncertain glances at each other, noting habits (Shinichi's pen was _constantly_ finding its way into his mouth and Kaito couldn't seem to sit in one position for longer than ten minutes at a time), that they couldn't focus on their work.

Shinichi was the first to give up. The sunset was blazing through the windows and the room was getting chilly as the temperature outside started to drop. He packed up his things and headed for the door, meeting Kaito's eyes by accident as he cast one last glance his way. But he didn't try to hide it. Instead, he just gave a little nod of acknowledgement and went on his way.

As soon as Kaito heard the heavy door at the bottom of the stairs thud closed, he rolled onto his back, splayed in the middle of the stage, and let out a long, frustrated groan.

"I'm so freaking _tense_ now!" he complained to the empty room. "Why'd it have to be _him_ up here?"

He laid there for a while as the sun sank lower, dragging the shadows out across the stage. When he finally sat up, his eyes moved immediately to where Shinichi had been sitting. With a sigh and a slight shake of his head, he turned back to his books, but it wasn't five minutes before he was looking over his shoulder at that spot again.

And he knew he was in trouble when he realized he missed the distraction.

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The second time wasn't a coincidence like the first, but Kaito let Shinichi think that it was.

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Shinichi was sitting in one of the libraries on campus reviewing a case file, old copies of archived newspaper articles filling the table where he sat, when Kaito walked in. Shinichi's back was to the door, but almost immediately he turned in his seat, feeling eyes on him. Kaito was prepared for that though. He'd long since noticed Shinichi's uncanny ability to know whenever someone was watching him. It was probably what had kept the detective alive through the takedown of the Organization.

By the time Shinichi looked, Kaito had already taken a sharp left into the rows of bookshelves. He took his time wandering, stealing glances at Shinichi between the rows, and smiled a little as his head came up each time, looking around.

When he finally decided on a place to settle – a table across the room from but still facing Shinichi – and sat down to pull his things from his bag, Shinichi finally caught sight of him. He stared long enough that Kaito looked up and caught his eye, smiling a little and nodding slightly, and Shinichi's whole body relaxed. Kaito ducked his head again to hide his strengthening smile.

 _He's relieved it was me watching him,_ he thought with some relief of his own. It was good to know that Shinichi didn't really consider him an enemy anymore. He'd suspected as much, but it was nice to have it more or less confirmed.

Kaito leaned his cheek on his hand and watched from across the room as Shinichi dove back into his case with renewed vigor. The detective didn't look up again even once.

The moment Shinichi solved it was strangely exciting to Kaito. He saw Shinichi's face light up before his smile twisted into something predatory and he stood, clumsily hurrying to stuff the pieces of the case file back together and gather up the library's resources. He brought them to the desk, uttering a rushed apology to the girl working there as she glared after Shinichi's retreating back. Shinichi's phone was out and at his ear before he even made it to the door.

"Megure-keibu," he said. He paused for just a second as he opened the door, throwing a grin back over his shoulder, meeting Kaito's eyes. "I figured out the Takita estate case."

The door swung shut behind him leaving the student worker behind the desk silently fuming, and Kaito found himself grinning without realizing it.

And just like that, he was _invested_.

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The third time, Shinichi actually commented on it.

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"We keep running into each other," Shinichi said. He was reading under a tree on campus with his back pressed against its trunk when Kaito sat down against the opposite side of it.

"You keep taking all the best spots." Kaito's voice was soft under the sound of the leaves above them, but Shinichi could hear the smirk in his tone. He breathed out a laugh and turned a page.

Neither said anything more after that, though they stayed there together for another hour, and Shinichi didn't bother to comment on the fact that there was any number of other trees in the area that did not already have a detective sitting under them.

Because maybe – just maybe – it was nice having KID at his back again.

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The fourth time was too obvious to let slide. So Shinichi didn't.

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The crowd was in an uproar. Hattori jumped to his feet with several others and rushed down to the front row of the level where they were sitting to shout at the umpire with his fellow fans, complaining loudly about the last call. Shinichi sighed and pulled out a book.

He froze when Kaito silently slipped into Hattori's abandoned seat next to him, flipping idly through news articles on his tablet. When Shinichi got over his surprise, he turned to him, his eyebrows moving up. Kaito pretended not to notice.

"You still gonna try telling me this is the best spot to read or whatever?" he asked over the shouting and jeers all around them.

Kaito grinned, not looking up. "The best spot is wherever you are~" he said.

Shinichi smirked. "That is a terrible pickup line."

That got his attention. Kaito's head came up quickly, his cheeks a little flushed. "It wasn't– I wasn't trying to–"

"No?" Shinichi interrupted. "That's a shame." He closed his book and started to stand.

"It–?" Kaito choked out. "Wait! You… Um…"

"You always this smooth out of uniform, Kuroba?"

The blush across Kaito's face deepened and Shinichi's smile was just a little wicked.

"You know," he continued before Kaito could get a response together. "I could use a coffee break. All this sitting around not talking to you is getting really exhausting. What do you think?"

Kaito stared up at him with wide eyes before a more comfortable smirk settled onto his face. "What about your Osaka friend?" he asked.

"He'll forgive me," Shinichi answered, opening a text to Hattori on his phone. Kaito stood up beside him and leaned over to read as he typed.

 _Ran into an old friend. We're going for coffee. Don't wait up._

Kaito grinned and Shinichi tucked his phone away. "Well?" he said, and he had to roll his eyes as Kaito held his hand out to him. He took it anyway and let Kaito lead him into the aisle and out of the stands, glancing back to give him a warm smile.

"I know a good place."

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 **Author Note:**

I'm not good at actually following prompts lol

In other news, the theatre practice room is modeled after the South Tower in the Purdue Memorial Union :)

In other, other news, I am really just not trying with most of the titles for these one-shots lol This one is based on the Kinsey Millhone mystery series by Sue Grafton… which I have actually only heard about in passing and have never read myself. *shrugs*

Hope you enjoyed!

~DS


	5. Chapter 5

"Can you help me sneak my cat into my dorm?" au

.

 _The Cat Who Was Witness_

.

The sight of Kudou Shinichi sitting on the curb outside of a college dorm, staring sulkily down at a small, fussy, mewling cat cradled in his lap was more than enough to give Kaito some pause. He'd been on his way back to his apartment for an afternoon of YouTube and heist planning, but this particular distraction was too tempting by far.

Turning casually to disappear behind the dorm building, Kaito pulled a black baseball cap out of his backpack and circled around to approach silently from behind Shinichi. He crouched down and poked two fingers against the back of Shinichi's head, mimicking a gun.

"Boo."

Shinichi glanced back, just a flicker of eyes.

"KID."

"Hey, Tantei-kun," Kaito said. "What's got you so distracted?" He peered over Shinichi's shoulder at the cat. The cat peered up at him. It meowed. Shinichi scowled.

"Case," he said. "Probably. What are you doing here?"

Kaito took the curiosity and distinct lack of venom in his voice as an invitation and sat down next to him on the curb, reaching over to rub a finger under the cat's chin.

"Visiting a friend," he decided with a small smile. "What's with the cat?"

"There's blood on its paws," Shinichi said, and Kaito's hand stilled, drawing back just a little, his eyebrows pulling down in concern. "It's not hurt," Shinichi continued. "And there's a lot of it, so–"

"So it's possible this cat is a witness, huh?" Kaito said. Shinichi threw another quick glance his way.

 _Only KID could say that so perfectly straight-faced._

"Yeah," he said anyway. "The blood on the pads of its paws is faded and the blood in its fur is mostly dry, so any trail of paw prints probably stopped a long time ago. I have no idea where to even start looking, so I thought if I could figure out what this cat was trying to do…" He glanced behind him at the doors to the dorm. Part of him knew just how ridiculous he probably sounded, but it wouldn't even be the first time a cat covered in blood had led him to a murder. His life was just like that.

"So?" Kaito prompted. "What's it trying to do?"

"It wants into this dorm."

The doors opened behind them as a few students came out of the building, and the cat let out a string of mewls, kicking at Shinichi in a scramble for freedom. It quieted as soon as the door thudded closed again and Shinichi let out a sigh. "I tried to sneak it in," he admitted, still staring down at the cat which seemed to be making a soft, agitated growling noise in its throat. "I got caught. They threw me out and threatened to call animal control."

Kaito leaned forward a little when Shinichi suddenly went statue-still. Then Shinichi's head came up abruptly and Kaito flinched back a little, startled by the intense focus in his wide-eyed stare.

"Hey. KID. Help me out."

"Eh?" Kaito said, his mouth a little faster than his brain as he realized what he was about to ask.

"You could get this cat inside. Then maybe we can find some kind of clue–"

"Like what–?"

"I don't know! But the blood in its fur isn't completely dry and this cat is small and still pretty young. I'm guessing whatever happened didn't happen too long ago, or too far away. Someone might need help, but I can't figure this out without more information–"

"Okay, okay," Kaito said quickly, cutting off the rush of words. "I'll help." He reached over and carefully lifted the cat out of Shinichi's hands, cradling it against his chest with one arm. His other hand slipped into his pocket for a moment, and the next thing Shinichi knew the cat was asleep.

"Oi, oi! What are we supposed to do if the cat's asleep? It can't tell us anything that way!"

"Calm down, Tantei-kun," Kaito said, rolling his eyes. Still holding the cat, he unzipped his backpack and pulled out some books, shoving them into Shinichi's arms. Shinichi couldn't help glancing over them, and he noted an electrical engineering text and a chemistry text among them before he turned his eyes back to KID who had stripped off his jacket and was folding and tucking it into the bottom of his emptied backpack, settling the cat into the little hollowed cushion he'd created there. Then he stood and carefully slung the backpack over one shoulder. Shinichi scrambled to his feet and tried to shift the books in his arms to look a little less haphazard and a little more normal.

"I can wake the little guy up once we're inside," Kaito said, already heading toward the doors. "But I don't want him making a fuss until we're in the clear, got it?" Shinichi just nodded and hurried after him.

KID walked through the doors of the dorm like he owned the place and Shinichi wondered for a moment why KID was so familiar with the layout as he walked straight past the elevators to a stairwell around the corner.

 _Does KID_ live _here?_ he thought, feeling almost like he was imposing somehow. _Or… I guess he did say he was visiting a friend. Maybe someone he knows lives here?_

They made it to a long hallway of doors and Kaito crouched down to open his bag, lifting the cat out. Then he held something under its nose and it woke, making a fuss again within seconds.

"Oh my gosh, a cat?" someone walking down the hall said, hurrying toward them. "It's so cute!"

Another person came around the corner and spotted them. "Hey, you can't have pets here," he said.

"Aw, come on~" Kaito replied, looking up at the student as he walked over as well. "I'm just takin' him back to my room. He won't bother anybody."

Shinichi's eyes narrowed as KID pretended to lose his grip on the struggling cat at that moment and it took off down the hallway, straight to a corner room at the end of the hall. Shinichi caught just a flash of a grin as KID went sprinting after it, leaving the two alarmed bystanders and Shinichi behind.

"Tch." Shinichi scooped up KID's abandoned bag and yanked the jacket out of it, cramming his armful of books inside before swinging it onto his back and running after him. By the time he caught up, KID had already knocked on the door where the cat had stopped to yowl. It opened and the cat seemed ready to run inside, but it stopped, falling silent, its tail twitching in agitation.

"Um…" the student on the other side said, looking from Kaito down to the cat.

"Oops," Kaito said, stooping to snatch the cat up again. "Wrong room. Sorry!" He gave Shinichi a quick, loaded look as he turned from the confused resident. Shinichi nodded, newly determined. Without a word, they both ran for the stairwell.

Three floors' worth of corner rooms later, they found it. A young woman opened the door and gasped, crouching down to pick up the cat even as it started to walk inside.

"Hi-chan!" she said, but she froze, going pale when she saw the blood on its paws.

"You know something," Shinichi said immediately, watching her.

"…Where's Asako?"

"Who?" Kaito asked.

"Asako. She should have been with him. Where did you find him? What happened to her?"

Shinichi and Kaito shared another quick glance.

"…We're trying to find that out," Shinichi told her. "Please, tell me everything you can."

.

They left the cat in the dorm and took off on foot. Takeharu Fumi, the young woman who lived in the corner room, was right on their heels, guiding them to where Asako had last said she'd be. Her phone was at her ear even as they ran, but it rang through to voicemail over and over.

They were on the edge of campus, taking what Fumi had told them was Asako's usual route from her apartment to the dorm when Shinichi jerked to a stop.

"Wait!" he called out, and Kaito, already several strides ahead, immediately doubled back and came to his side just as Fumi caught up. Shinichi was crouched down, staring at the ground.

"What is it?" Kaito breathed out.

Shinichi didn't say anything. His eyes were darting around now, picking through blades of grass and over pavement. He glanced up at Fumi who still had her phone to her ear then stood again and said "This way," before taking off into the grass.

"Hey– Tantei-kun, what–?"

"Shut up," Shinichi shot back. He was running flat out with a sharp focus and Kaito found himself struggling to keep up. Fumi had already fallen far behind them. When Shinichi abruptly took an unexpected turn, Kaito actually had to stop to backtrack and follow after him.

 _This is insane,_ he thought. _If he tried half this hard at heists I might really be in trouble–_

Kaito spotted the bloody paw prints before he registered Shinichi dropping to one knee a little ways ahead of him. There was a young woman wearing a backpack lying near the wall in the space between two buildings.

"KID, call–"

"Already on it," Kaito said, his phone at his ear as the emergency call went through. Fumi caught up a few moments later and her phone tumbled from nerveless fingers. She rushed forward but Kaito caught her and held her back with one arm wrapped around her stomach. "We need an ambulance at… uh–"

Fumi whipped around and grabbed the phone out of his hand, rattling off two addresses before shoving it back at him and turning again toward Shinichi. "Is she okay?" she demanded.

"She's been stabbed," Shinichi said, easing the straps of the backpack off of Asako's shoulders so he could turn her onto her back. There was a dark stain across on side of the front of her shirt and Fumi took in a shuddering breath. Kaito pulled her back some, his eyes flickering over Shinichi hands where they pressed on the wound.

"The ambulance is on the way," Kaito said.

"Takeharu-san, you said Miyabi-san was being stalked?" Shinichi asked without looking up. "Did you ever see the stalker? Can you describe them?"

"I saw him once," Fumi answered. Kaito could feel her shaking, her eyes fixed on Shinichi and Asako. "H-He's pretty big… Um…"

Kaito took her shoulders and turned her around to face him, gentle but insistent. "Use me for comparison," he said. "Taller?"

Fumi swallowed and nodded. "By just a few inches I guess."

"How about his build?" Kaito asked.

"He was definitely more built than you," she said and Kaito smirked.

"Hair?"

"Uh, it was black. Shorter than yours."

Kaito nodded. "Good. Skin tone?"

"About the same."

"Have you ever heard him speak?"

She shook her head.

"Okay. Tantei-kun," he called to Shinichi. "What do you think?"

"It's a good start," he answered. "The weapon's not here. If he's the obsessive type, he'll have kept it." Shinichi glanced over his shoulder, his eyes sweeping the ground around them. "I know where to start."

"The police are on the way," Kaito said quickly. He recognized the look in Shinichi's eyes. It was a little sharper, a little more dangerous than the look he wore when he was chasing down KID, but Kaito was sure that it meant the same thing – a lock on his prey and a searing determination to corner it.

Shinichi didn't answer.

.

When the ambulance arrived, Fumi went with them, unwilling to be separated from Asako. Shinichi and Kaito stayed behind to talk to the police, and Kaito saw the moment Shinichi tensed, like he was just about to sprint off. Even with his reflexes, Kaito was almost too slow, just barely catching Shinichi's shoulder in time.

"There's no need," he said.

Shinichi looked over his shoulder at him, staring at him like he didn't understand.

"Is there?" Kaito pressed, his grip tightening a little.

They both looked toward the small group of officers preparing to head out onto the campus.

"You already told them all your deductions, right? That guy could be dangerous. Let them take it from here."

"…I get what you're saying," Shinichi said. "But I want to see this through."

"Oh, good. Me too. So let's stick around to see how it plays out."

Shinichi pulled out of his grasp then and turned to face him, eyes wide.

"That _is_ an option you know."

"…Right."

The group of cops chanted a synchronized "Yes, sir!" to their commanding officer and went off. Shinichi – very carefully, Kaito noted – stayed put.

.

The stalker was arrested, and the most of the officers who had been sent out returned to the scene. Kaito never would have noticed it. He assumed the few who didn't return were handling the arrest directly. But Shinichi noticed. There was blood, just a little, on two of those officers' clothes.

If it had been anyone other than _Kudou Shinichi, savior of the police force_ asking, the officers would have told them to disperse when he approached with Kaito following, fascinated by the flicker of _deduction_ that had crossed Shinichi's face.

"What happened?" Shinichi said.

"I was just like you said, Kudou-kun. He was lurking around that dorm–"

"He had the knife," Shinichi stated with too much certainty, and Kaito started to catch on. "What happened?"

"Oh… Well, he lashed out pretty quickly when we approached him. Ikuta-san… took the worst of it."

Kaito could feel Shinichi go stiff. The officers picked up on it too.

"He's all right," one said quickly. "He was wearing a vest and Enari-san pulled the guy off of him before it could go too deep." She slapped a hand against one of the other officer's backs and he staggered forward a step with a quiet laugh.

"He was _stabbed_?" Kaito said, and Shinichi thought he sounded a little… dismayed.

… _I guess that makes sense. Normal people– No. I wouldn't call KID normal. But most people aren't used to these kinds of dangerous situations. And at KID heists…_ Shinichi stared at KID as the officers continued to reassure him, grinning as they clapped him on the shoulder and explained that this was their job. KID just seemed more distressed. _At KID heists,_ Shinichi thought. _KID is the only one in danger. He makes sure of it._

.

It was past nightfall by the time the police had wrapped everything up and gone home. Shinichi and Kaito were left sitting on the steps of one of the two buildings between which Asako had been stabbed.

Before the silence could stretch too long, Shinichi spoke.

"Hey, KID. Thanks."

"No thanks required, Tantei-kun," KID answered with a smile that, in the dark, Shinichi might have ventured to call _fond_. "I didn't do much anyway."

Shinichi shook his head. "No, I mean it. She'd have died before I ever found her if you weren't there. Now, at least, she has a chance. But also… thanks for… watching out for me, I guess."

KID turned away a little, dark shadows hiding his face beneath his cap. "It's dangerous… what you do. You don't seem to give that a single thought."

Shinichi scoffed, or maybe it was a laugh. "Not one to talk, KID."

"You're wrong," KID said, turning to him again. Shinichi could just catch a glimpse of light reflecting in KID's eyes. More than anything, he could _feel_ the heated stare. "I know exactly how dangerous my own situation is. I plan for that. I account for it. For everything. The police do, too, by the way. They go in trained, armed, and protected, and people can still get hurt because no plan is perfect. But it's better than rushing in with no plan at all, which is what you seem to do _way_ too often."

"KID…"

KID sighed and leaned back, elbows tucked against the next step up. "You'll keep doing what you're doing," he said, and this time the darkness couldn't be blamed for the fondness in KID's voice. "But just know, if you want my help again, you've got it. Any time. Somebody's gotta keep you mystery nerds from getting in over your heads."

The grin was back, as expected, but it wasn't enough to bury the earnestness of that offer. Shinichi nodded.

"Thank you, KID. I might take you up on that."

"I hope you do," KID said with a soft smile. He bounced to his feet then and turned, offering Shinichi his hand. "Do you want to drop by the hospital with me? I was thinking I won't be satisfied not knowing how it turned out for Takeharu-san and Miyabi-san, and I'm sure they'd appreciate knowing that that guy is off the streets."

"Yeah," Shinichi said, taking KID's hand without thinking about it and letting KID pull him to his feet.

"Oh! But I want to make one quick stop before that~"

.

"What are we doing back here?" Shinichi sighed, resigned as the lock on Fumi's dorm room clicked open.

"I left my backpack here, remember?" Kaito said cheerfully. He opened the door and dragged Shinichi inside, closing it behind them to keep the cat from getting out. It walked up to them, yowling. Kaito scooped it up with a grin. "Let's take him to the hospital with us!" he said. "I'm sure it'll cheer Takeharu-san and Miyabi-san up."

It crossed Shinichi's mind to tell KID not to get his hopes up too high. Asako's injury had been serious, and she'd lost a lot of blood. He wasn't entirely sure they'd gotten to her in time to save her life. But after one look at KID beaming down at the small cat in his hands, and the memory of how upset KID had been at the news of an officer getting hurt, he decided he'd rather hope for the best.

"Fine, whatever, take the cat," Shinichi said with only slight reluctance. KID turned his smile on Shinichi. The cat kicked out of his hands with a flailing of tiny claws.

"Hey!" Kaito yelped as the cat scampered first away from them then back, yowling and staring up at them expectantly. "I might have to drug him again," Kaito sighed with an odd downturned twist to his lips.

"That really shouldn't be the default answer to all of your problems," Shinichi said, and there was definite sass in that eye roll, Kaito decided. "We don't have to do that." He crouched down and scooped the cat up, holding it against his chest with one arm. His free hand reached out toward KID and grabbed onto the zipper of his jacket, tugging it down.

"Uh…" Kaito said, watching Shinichi carefully now and ignoring how his heartbeat had sped. Shinichi moved closer and pulled the jacket open, settling the cat against KID's chest. KID's arm came up automatically to support it, but he let Shinichi adjust how it was positioned until the cat was laying along his forearm, hidden under the jacket. Shinichi leaned close and smiled at the pair of glowing eyes he could see past the pucker of KID's open zipper.

"A little obvious, don't you think, Tantei-kun?" KID said, looking down at the slight bulge against his chest.

"Can't be helped. This is how he's used to being carried, so he won't make a fuss this way. You'll just have to pull it off." He patted KID on the shoulder. "You'll be fine," he said with a grin.

"Well yeah, _I_ will, but how did Miyabi-san–?"

"Come on, KID," Shinichi said, and he sounded disappointed. "Miyabi-san has a different body type than you. It wasn't a problem for her."

Kaito thought about it for a moment. "…Oh! Huh. Yeah, I got it. But how did you know this was how–?"

"Her backpack was mostly full and she didn't have any other bags with her," Shinichi explained. "Between that, the fur, and the fact that the cat knew how to get where it was going, I figured this made the most sense." He picked up KID's backpack. "All right. If that's everything, let's get going."

.

Fumi looked up at the soft knock on the hospital room door. She jumped to her feet and hurried to open it. "Miyabi-san– Oh. What are _you_ doing here?"

Shinichi noted out of the corner of his eye KID's face taking on a miffed expression. It was interesting to see him lay aside the poker face, though Shinichi supposed it wasn't really necessary at the moment anyway. Fumi didn't miss his reaction either.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way," she said quickly. "I was just expecting someone else."

"Who is it, Fumi?" came a quiet voice from within the room.

Fumi smiled. "I'm sorry. I never caught your names. Please, come in."

"Thank you," Shinichi said and he and Kaito stepped into the room.

"Glad to see you're doing okay, Miyabi-san," Kaito said, smiling at the girl in the bed. "We have a surprise for you~!"

"Um…" Asako murmured, glancing to Fumi again, but Fumi was still smiling so she just looked to Kaito, curious, and he let the cat push out from under his jacket. It leapt lightly to the bed.

"Hiei-chan!" Asako said, and a wince flickered over her face, her arm moving across her stomach.

"Hi-chan!" Fumi gasped, and she was laughing but she was quick to pick up the cat before it could step on Asako as it clearly had been planning. She cradled it and sat on the edge of the bed beside Asako so she could reach over and rub a finger under Hiei's chin. The cat purred.

"Um, it's nice to meet you, Miyabi-san," Shinichi said, sheepish with his hand at the back of his head. "My name's Kudou Shinichi."

"Hi…?" Asako said.

"Asako, Kudou-kun is the one who found you." Her voice and smile were warm. "He saved your life."

"It was just a hunch," Shinichi said, and Kaito's eyebrows twitched down a little.

 _That… was a Conan response…_

"Thank you," Asako and Fumi both said simply.

"Anyway," Kaito cut in. "What we really wanted to tell you is that the guy who did this was arrested. You don't have to worry anymore."

For a moment, they both just stared at Kaito.

"…Really?" Asako whispered. "It's feels like it's been forever…"

She and Fumi both jumped a little when another knock came at the door and Kaito was suddenly standing beside Fumi. Hiei had vanished.

The door opened and an older woman stepped in. "Asako," she said.

"Okaa-san," Asako responded.

The woman's eyes moved over Fumi only briefly before landing on Kaito, then Shinichi.

"We don't want to intrude," Shinichi said quickly, his eyes flickering to KID's and meeting them for just a second. "We just wanted to let you know about what happened."

Kaito looked down at the girls. "Sorry," he said. "Guess that little surprise was short lived, but it'll be waiting back at your dorm, okay?" he said with a wink.

Fumi's mouth opened, a question almost making it to her lips before her eyes flickered to Asako's mother. Kaito just grinned and answered by making a rose appear in one hand. Asako and Fumi both stared at it as he laid it on the bedside table. Then they both looked up at his still shadowed face, and his grin, and considered his lack of introduction.

"No way…" Fumi breathed.

"We should be going, Tantei-kun," KID said. "Get well soon, Miyabi-san."

"Y-Yeah…" Asako stammered. "Um, thank you!"

Shinichi and Kaito excused themselves and went out into the hallway. Hiei squirmed a little under Kaito's jacket.

"I am really gonna need a change of clothes before I go home," Kaito laughed as they walked, grinning over his shoulder at Shinichi. "My doves will be upset with me if I come home covered in fur, I think."

Shinichi let a smirk turn his lips up with a quiet laugh. Then Kaito saw his face change and his hand go out. "KID–" he started, looking past him.

Kaito looked forward again just in time to collide with a young woman he could swear hadn't been there a moment before. As he steadied himself and Hiei and the woman, he realized he knew her and jumped back like he'd been burned.

"A-Akako!"

"Kuroba-kun!" Akako said, wide-eyed, and Kaito froze. He could _feel_ Shinichi freeze behind him as well. He swallowed hard, heart racing, and masked it all.

"What are you _doing_ here, Akako?" Forcing himself not to glance back, he grabbed Akako's arm and pushed her a little ways down the hall, away from Shinichi. Shinichi didn't move. "Seriously," Kaito said, leaning in close, his voice hushed. " _Why_."

"I _saw_ something, Kuroba-kun," Akako whispered. "But I couldn't make it out. All I knew was that it was you and _him_ ," she shot a glance behind Kaito. "And blood and a hospital–"

"I was helping him save a stabbing victim!" Kaito hissed. "Maybe next time try my phone first!"

"Well excuse me for being concerned!" Akako shot back. "The premonitions around that detective are ominous enough without seeing something like _that_ on top of it."

"Well we're all okay, so could you please…" he cut himself off with an agitated sigh. "I have some damage control to do right now." His eyes flickered to the side, toward where he could feel Shinichi watching, but he didn't dare actually look back.

Akako huffed. "See if I try to help you again," she said, turning away.

Kaito let out a frustrated, somewhat pathetic sort of noise and called out, "Wait. Akako. …I'm sorry. Thank you."

Akako paused to blink back at him. Then, to Kaito's bafflement, her eyes locked onto Shinichi again where he was still standing a few paces behind him. He couldn't help but glance back. Shinichi looked just as surprised to find himself the sudden subject of her intense gaze, but then it eased and she turned back around.

"Be careful, Kuroba-kun," she said lightly. "There are some things you've proven that my magic can't save you from."

"…Eh?" Kaito muttered. _What's that supposed to mean?_

Akako let out an indelicately loud laugh that was not at all appropriate for a hospital hallway at 1 AM. "Goodbye, Kuroba-kun," she said, and she walked away.

Instincts bristling, Kaito kept his poker face and returned to Shinichi's side.

"Who was that?" Shinichi asked, shooting for conversational while his mind batted around the name Kuroba like a cat with a ball of string.

"Classmate," Kaito answered grudgingly.

"Mm."

They stood for a while in awkward silence, Hiei sulking where Kaito held him firmly under his jacket. Eventually, Kaito gave in with a groan.

"Look, there's really no helping it now." He reached up and took off his hat and it vanished in a little puff of smoke. He looked Shinichi in the eye – KID, perfectly straight-faced with a cat tucked under his jacket – and held out his hand. Shinichi blinked dumbly at him.

"Kuroba Kaito," Kaito said. "Nice to meet you."

It took Shinichi a moment to realize he hadn't moved – hadn't breathed since KID had met his eye. "R-Right," he eventually managed. "Right." He reached out and took KID's hand, holding firmly. "…I'm not gonna lie. This is a little disappointing," he said with a quirked smile.

" _Right_?" Kaito agreed. "Talk about anticlimactic."

"What… What do we do now?"

Kaito's smile was small and a little sheepish. "That's… really up to you, Tantei-kun. You know who I am now. And I'm still a cri–"

"We should get Hiei-chan home," Shinichi said, stumbling over the words in his hurry to get them out.

Kaito blinked at him. Then he narrowed his eyes over a smirk. "Really? This isn't a trap is it?"

Shinichi scoffed. "How fast do you think I am? I only learned your name a minute ago."

"I've learned not to underestimate you," Kaito said, his voice smooth. Shinichi suppressed a shiver.

"Well," he said, his eyes shifting off to the side for a moment. "If I'm going to be chasing Kuroba Kaito from now on, I'd like to get to know him a little better. There's no use rushing any decisions before then, don't you think?"

Kaito grinned. "I think I'd like that."

.

 **Author Note:**

The title of this one is inspired by Lilian Jackson Braun's _Cat Who_ mystery novel series. I have not read them myself, but I've heard a lot of good things.


	6. Chapter 6

"We wore matching Halloween costumes to this party" au

.

 _Masquerade_

.

There was a distinct out-of-body sensation that came with seeing oneself, from a distance, greet the host of the costume party one was attending as part of an ongoing investigation. Shinichi acknowledged that fact with some resignation as he watched what _must_ have been the Kaitou KID chat up the man Shinichi had come to see while dressed in what quite possibly were Shinichi's own clothes, with his hair styled to mimic Shinichi's perfectly. The sound he let out was something near to a soft growl and he stalked headfirst into the crowd of extravagantly costumed partygoers, making a beeline for his target.

Eyes fixed on KID, Shinichi did not miss the moment the thief's eyes landed on him, or how his ( _maskless_ , Shinichi's brain pointed out irritably) face lost a few shades of color. "Shinichi" seemed to make a hasty excuse to the host before cutting into the crowd, moving quick in the opposite direction of the detective's approach. And if the host saw a second Shinichi brush past him a few moments later, Shinichi didn't notice.

KID had almost made it to the glass doors of the veranda when a strong hand closed almost painfully around his arm and he was jerked to the side. Shinichi dragged him out of the ballroom and down a dim hallway, literally cornering him at its dead end.

"Oh, hey Tantei-kun," KID said, smile and tone appropriately sheepish. "You're looking… tall."

"Not much of a costume, KID," Shinichi said. Neither his glare nor his grip eased, but his tone wasn't as sharp as it could have been and KID took that as a good sign.

"No, I guess you're right," he replied, shrugging. A smoke bomb dropped from him with the motion and exploded on impact with the carpet, engulfing him as Shinichi flinched back on instinct, losing his grasp on KID's arm. The smoke cleared as quickly as it had come and Kaitou KID stood before him, hat tall and proud, cape swaying behind him, and monocle reflecting the dim lights over a sharp grin. "How's this~?"

Shinichi gave him a blank stare. "…Are you giving up? You _must_ know this place is full of cops. I don't know what you were trying to do before I interrupted but–"

"What? No, don't be ridiculous, I'm not giving up. I came to do a little reconnaissance and I'm not leaving before I get the information I came for."

"All you're gonna get is arrested dressed like that." Shinichi cast a mostly involuntary glance back over his shoulder. The long hallway was still empty and quiet, the light and noise of the party faint around the distant corner.

"Oh really~?" KID said in a tone that made Shinichi's attention snap back to him for all the wrong reasons. "I bet I can walk back in there like this right now and no one will even look twice."

"Now that I'd love to see," Shinichi said, crossing his arms and giving KID a flat look under a raised eyebrow.

KID missed the sarcasm. "Perfect!" he said. "Oh, I meant to ask – what are you doing here, anyway? Last time I saw you, you were–"

"Eight?" Shinichi provided.

"Well, I _was_ aiming to be more delicate," KID said, smirking. "So?"

Shinichi sighed and started to explain, and, as he did, KID very subtly began to move in a casual way that had Shinichi subconsciously moving with him. Focused more on the conversation, Shinichi didn't quite realize he was walking side by side with a wanted thief right back into the party. Not until a little cluster of writer friends of his father spotted them and came up, all grinning excitement and stares full of _ideas_.

 _I have gotten_ way _too comfortable around him_ , Shinichi thought in dismay as the onslaught began.

"Your costume is amazing!"

"Where did you get it? It looks really authentic!"

"Kudou-kun, who's your friend?"

Shinichi admittedly floundered. "This is, um, Kaito," he said, then mentally cringed. _A given name. Brilliant, detective._ He fished around in his mind for a family name to go with it and drew out a famous magician his mother had often mentioned. "Kuroba Kaito," he filled in quickly.

He glanced at KID, expecting him to pick up the pseudonym and roll with it immediately, and noticed that, for the second time that night, KID seemed to have gone rather pale. But he was still grinning, and he swept his hat off as he offered the cluster of writers a deep bow.

"Kuroba Kaito, aspiring magician," he announced, producing three lavender roses as he straightened back up, holding them out to the writers. "I'm a big fan of Kaitou KID!"

Introductions and pleasantries were exchanged. Small talk and polite socialization. Shinichi barely heard a word of it, even as he participated. One half of his brain was busy monitoring the officers in the crowd who had definitely taken notice of the thief but had not seemed to be able to see past the cover of relaxed, casual conversation in a costume party setting. They eyed him warily, but Shinichi standing and chatting right beside him seemed to be the tipping point that said, "That could not possibly be the real Kaitou KID."

The other half of Shinichi's brain was cataloguing KID's every word, every shift in his tone, and every subtle motion of his body as they stood and talked. Something was definitely _off_.

When the conversation finally broke up with, "Tell Yusaku-kun we said hello," and "Nice to meet you, Kuroba-kun," the writers wandered off to socialize elsewhere and Shinichi let out a tired sigh. He turned to KID.

"I can't believe you seriously just made me an accomplice–" He cut himself off. KID was staring at him, something heavy like betrayal in his eyes, undercut by a fragile tinge of fear. "KID… What–?"

KID didn't let him finish. He grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back out of the ballroom, almost too fast for Shinichi to keep up with. They weren't headed for that dim, empty hallway. Instead, KID took him to a flight of stairs and didn't let go even once the entire way up to a (formerly) locked, empty room on the third floor. He all but shoved Shinichi inside ahead of him and shut the door, flipping the lock back into place and standing in front of it for good measure as he leveled Shinichi with half of an intense stare. The other half was lost to a stark shadow under the moonlit monocle.

"Okay, Meitantei," KID said, and the words were noticeably measured and calm. Meaning that calm was fake.

 _Well that's… a little terrifying,_ Shinichi thought, eyes wide and locked on the thief.

"I know you're good," KID went on. "But how in the hell did you know my name? When did you figure that out?"

"I what?" Shinichi said and KID felt his stomach drop.

… _Shit._

It was too late. He saw it click in Shinichi's mind a moment later.

"Kuroba Kaito?" Shinichi said, and Kaito wanted to bury his face in his hands and groan for just forever. But instead he was still and stone-faced, standing too close to Shinichi who was wearing the anesthetic watch and a wide-eyed stare. "Kuroba Kaito," he repeated, no longer a question, and KID flinched back a little.

"Stop _saying_ it," he hissed.

"Right. Sorry. Just… No, you're right, I'm sorry. Heh. Well, I just introduced you as a friend of mine. And by your given name, no less. I guess we better get to know each other or that could get awkward."

Shinichi was talking but Kaito couldn't quite calm his pulse enough to see or hear around it in much detail. "Yes, I'm sure it'll be real awkward for you when your 'friend Kaito' ends up on the run from the cops–" he breathed out.

"What?" Shinichi said. "No, I just meant if we want to run with that cover story, we should… I don't know, hang out."

Kaito looked up, abruptly meeting his eyes. "Wait, seriously?" Had he heard that right? "You're… not turning me in?"

Was it his imagination or was Shinichi blushing a little? It was hard to say with the window, the only source of light in the room, at Shinichi's back.

"I didn't really plan on it, no," he answered.

"And you wanna… hang out." He was giving Shinichi the kind of look one might give a skittish snake, but Shinichi didn't seem deterred.

"Why not?" he said. "In case you haven't noticed, we get along pretty well, KID. I think we could manage being friends."

"…Just for tonight?" KID asked.

Shinichi shrugged. "I'll leave that up to you. But I wouldn't mind _actually_ being… friends."

Kaito didn't know what universal force to thank, gods or Fate or Lady Luck, all or none of the above, but he figured a sense of gratitude as strong as he was feeling now would certainly reach the right source even without specific direction. He grinned.

"Okay, Tantei-kun," KID said. "I might just take you up on that." He leaned forward, a little of the shadow under his hat giving way and the glare off the monocle softening. "But I've still got a jewel to steal."

Shinichi just sighed. "Go on and do your reconnaissance or whatever then," he said. "If anyone asks where you are, I'll make something up. But in exchange, I expect you to come back to the party when you're done."

"My, my," KID purred. "Tantei-kun is helping a criminal prepare for his theft."

"I won't say anything if you don't," Shinichi replied and Kaito felt a blush threaten to rise to his cheeks. He smiled, taking a slow, silent breath to cover it.

"I think we've got a deal."

With a slight tip of his hat, KID vanished from the room and Shinichi walked slowly forward to pick up the rich red rose that was left lying in front of the door.

He was going to have a _very_ hard time focusing on his investigation for the rest of the night.


	7. Chapter 7

"We both got in separate bar fights downtown and now we're waiting in the ER comparing stories" au

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Please note that I am aware that ERs in Japan function rather differently from ERs in the US, but my research did not provide me anything concrete enough to adapt a story to, and, if I'm being honest, I was already letting this story rather do as it pleased somewhat recklessly so… let's roll with it! Maybe Beika's ERs are different anyway, just out of sheer overwork due to their resident trouble magnet ;)

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 _Alcohol-Based Code Names Do Not Make It a Bar Fight, Boys_

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The ER waiting room was pretty crowded. For once, that had nothing to do with Shinichi. Weary and aching, he walked up to the desk. The nurse there raised his eyebrows at the messy cut and bruise spreading high across his cheekbone.

"Bar fight," Shinichi said without prompting. "Possible cracked ribs and concussion. I can fill out the forms, though."

The nurse seemed to hesitate, but he handed over a clipboard already loaded up with forms and a pen. "You're looking a little pale," he said. "Try to find a seat, all right?"

Shinichi nodded and did as he was told.

It was only a few minutes later that Kaito walked into the ER and up to the desk. The nurse looked at him, looked past him at Shinichi still sitting hunched over his forms, then looked back to Kaito again.

"Broken wrist," Kaito said, raising what was indeed a badly swollen wrist for the nurse to see. "Left one though," he added, keeping his right hand below the counter where it couldn't be seen. "I can still fill out the forms."

"You weren't, by any chance, in a–?"

"Bar fight," Kaito said, quick and flat.

"It wasn't with that guy, was it?" He was looking past Kaito again and Kaito glanced back.

"No," he said quickly, jerking back around to face the nurse.

"Hm." He handed over a clipboard and Kaito did his best to find a seat out of Shinichi's direct line of sight.

Ten minutes later Kaito had barely managed to fill in the first few lines of his forms, doing his best to write legibly and not smear blood onto the paper. It seemed his hasty wrapping of the cut across his right palm hadn't kept it from reopening as he tried to maneuver the pen.

Shinichi finished his forms and brought them up to the nurse. When he turned to sit down again, his eyes were drawn to a head of dark messy hair bent over a set of papers in determined concentration as a bloodied hand fumbled with a pen, a bruised and swollen wrist tucked carefully out of the way of the clipboard in the young man's lap. His steps stalled before they turned in his direction.

Kaito looked up, startled, when Shinichi sat down next to him.

"I'd… offer to help you with that," he said, very determinedly looking away. "But I'm sure you don't want to tell me what to write down."

Kaito looked down at his forms again, at the shaky handwriting and the wealth of personal information.

"Your right hand," Shinichi continued, voice quiet. "You hurt it. When you saved me."

 _No question then. He knows it's me. And, well, of course he does, when I'm sitting here with the same injuries KID had._ "Too easy, Tantei-kun," Kaito agreed, continuing to write. "…Are you okay?"

"Okay enough to walk out of here before you turn that in and they call your name." Shinichi said softly. "And I will."

Kaito dropped the pen. "I can't ask you to do that," he said, a little fierce and a little affronted. "I'll–"

"You're a _magician_ , KID," Shinichi hissed at him, still facing away. "I'll be damned if I let you walk out of here and make you put off treatment of injuries like those. You wouldn't have come to a hospital in the area and risked running into me if you thought it could wait, so if one of us has to leave for your identity to be protected, it should be me."

Kaito was openly staring at him now – staring at the side of Shinichi's face because the detective still refused to so much as glance in his direction while his hat and monocle were absent and his name was written in black and white right there in his lap. It afforded Kaito a good long look at the bruised and bloody cheek where a gun had struck the detective, sending him to the pavement hard enough to knock him out. KID's fist clenched and pain shot up his arm.

"Right," he said, and the word tasted as bitter as it sounded. "Or you could just stay because you could be concussed and you might not even remember any of this tomorrow." It turned his stomach to have to say those words and only be half-joking.

Shinichi's first instinct was to deny the claim, but KID was right. He did know that.

Before he could give the situation more consideration, he felt something pushed into his hands and looked down out of sheer surprise, scrambling to not drop the clipboard and pen he was suddenly holding. "KID–?"

"You live alone," KID said, and it wasn't a question. "Is there someone who can stay with you tonight?"

Shinichi stared, uncomprehending between his shock and the pain that was still throbbing through his head. This time it was KID who turned away and Shinichi could see for once the clear profile of his face, the cheek where the monocle always rested now bare under too-bright hospital lights. He looked down again. "I… No, there isn't," he answered quietly. He'd asked Agasa to take Haibara out of town before he'd sprung the trap that had landed him here – better to get her as far away as possible before provoking the Organization. The only other person he could ask was Ran, but he had no intention of doing so. She'd only make a bigger deal out of it than it was, and he didn't want to have to lie to her about what had happened (because there was _no way_ he was telling her the truth of it). No. KID was right. There was no one.

KID turned back, face set into an unreadable calm, and reached over to tap a finger against the top form on the clipboard in Shinichi's hands. "174 centimeters," he said, and Shinichi let out a small scoff.

"That one I already knew," he said, but he filled it in and allowed KID to guide him through the rest of the form.

.

"You live alone?"

There probably wasn't any judgment in the words, but it sort of felt like there was, just because the disapproval was so strong.

"Yes," Shinichi answered. His brain caught up a little a few moments later and he abruptly recognized the judgment and disapproval for what it actually was. Concern.

"Honestly, I'd feel better if someone was with you for the next few hours at least," the doctor said. "Is there someone you could call?"

Shinichi barely hesitated. He nodded, just a little. "I'll have him take me home," he said, keeping it vague. The confidence in the words was strictly for the doctor's benefit.

It worked. The man looked relieved, and agreed to discharge him.

Shinichi went out into the waiting room a few minutes later. It was a little less full now. The sky was starting to grow lighter outside. With a glance, he took in the patients waiting. KID wasn't there – had surely been called back after Shinichi had been – and he considered for a moment that he might have been released already and gone home. He sat down and waited anyway.

Twenty minutes later, his body was not thanking him for the long ( _incredibly_ long) night and the uncomfortable waiting room chair. Kaito found him folded forward, head down and elbows braced on his legs to prop him up.

"Tantei-kun." His fingertips brushed Shinichi's shoulder, the pressure careful for both their sakes. "You want me to help you get home?" he guessed.

Shinichi looked up at him, noting the fresh, clean bandaging on KID's right hand and the short cast on his left forearm, but weariness dropped his head forward again after just a few seconds. "Please," he said softly.

Kaito was already helping him to his feet.

.

Shinichi started nodding off the minute he and KID were settled into the back of the cab.

"Hey," KID said, touching his arm. "Are you okay to fall asleep?"

Shinichi nodded. "He said so, but he also… didn't want me alone." He shook his head a little. "I'll be fine," he murmured.

KID frowned and returned his eyes to the city lights crawling by.

.

Outside the gate of the Kudou manor, Kaito woke Shinichi and helped him out of the cab, paying the driver and sending her on her way. Shinichi apparently didn't take note of that detail because when they made it to the front door he looked at KID like he didn't know what he was doing there.

"I'm not leaving, Tantei-kun," KID said, taking the key from Shinichi's hand and carefully unlocking the door. "I don't want you alone either."

"…What?" Shinichi murmured, staring after him. KID stopped short, one foot inside the house. He glanced back.

"You said in the taxi," Kaito explained, the words slow with building concern. "The doctor told you he didn't want you to be left alone."

"…Oh."

His eyes had moved off to the side, his eyebrows pulled down. It was clear he was trying to remember with little to no success. Kaito reached out and gently tipped Shinichi's chin up so he could see his eyes. "Hey," he said, firm but quiet. "Do you remember who I am?" At this point, he'd be perfectly happy if Shinichi identified him as Kuroba Kaito if it meant he could _remember_.

"KID…" Shinichi said. "I mean you've gotta be, cause I don't know you but you're… helping me. You look like him. You sound like him." His face scrunched a little more in concentration and Kaito reached out, resting his fingertips on Shinichi shoulders.

"Yes, I'm KID," he said quickly, hoping to stop him from thinking too hard about anything at this point. "Do you remember how we got here?"

"Taxi," Shinichi answered. "Just now."

"That's right. What about earlier. Last night. The trap you set for those Organization members."

Shinichi's eyes widened. " _Oh_. I… I can't remember. What happened?"

Kaito's jaw clenched. "Later for that," he decided. He stepped out of the doorway to push Shinichi inside ahead of him and stole his phone from his pocket even as he was guiding him upstairs.

"KID, I'm all right," Shinichi insisted.

"I know," KID said, but he walked him all the way to the bathroom and sat him down at Yukiko's vanity before vanishing down the hall. Shinichi didn't quite have it in him to get up.

"Here." KID returned just seconds later and handed over a set of Shinichi's pajamas. "Get cleaned up, okay?" Shinichi just sighed a little and nodded.

In the hallway, KID closed the door on the sounds of running water and carefully tapped in the hospital's number on Shinichi's phone. When they answered, he shifted his voice into Shinichi's speech patterns.

"Hello. I was just in a little while ago for a concussion… I fell asleep on the way home and now I… can't remember most of last night." They asked for his information and Kaito provided it and answered their questions about other symptoms, breathing out an inaudible sigh when they told him not to worry. Rest, they emphasized. No heavy physical or mental activity, and he'd be just fine. Kaito agreed on Shinichi's behalf and hung up just as the bathroom door opened again.

Shinichi glanced back at KID as the thief followed him into his bedroom. "I have a concussion. I know," he sighed. Then, hesitantly, he added, "Sorry KID, but… would you mind staying?"

"Heh."

"…Did I already ask you that?" Shinichi said with a slight scowl, his eyebrows creasing again.

"You didn't," KID answered. "But I was planning to stay anyway. It's just nice to know you're not too stupid or proud to ask for help here. Do you mind if I borrow some clothes?"

Shinichi laughed a little but a wince flickered across his face and cut it short, his arm wrapping loosely around his ribs. "How nice of you to ask for once," he said anyway. KID smirked and went to the closet. "Pajamas are in the drawer there," Shinichi added a moment before it occurred to him that of course KID must know that. But KID hadn't gone for them. His lips twitched down again. "More comfortable," he said pointedly.

KID glanced back at where Shinichi was getting into his bed and rather deliberately shifting to one side of it. His surprise apparently made it to his face because Shinichi raised an eyebrow at him. "I asked you to stay as a favor," Shinichi explained. "From the look of it, we've both had a pretty rough night. I'm not going to make you sit up in a chair at my bedside. This is better for both of us."

"…Okay," Kaito agreed. He took a set of pajamas from the drawer and managed to change his pants, but the movement required for removing his shirt was enough to make him flinch, his whole body sore. He brought his arms back down quickly and was going to just skip changing his shirt, regardless of how much it smelled like _hospital_ , when he heard Shinichi's voice, quiet right behind him.

"Here," he said, and Kaito felt hands at his waist, helping guide the shirt up. Kaito went along with the movement again, mostly because he knew Shinichi just wanted to help. He clenched his teeth against the pain of it, but it only took a moment with Shinichi's assistance eliminating the need for precise motor skills from Kaito's injured hands.

Shinichi carefully eased the shirt free from the cast and set it on the desk chair with Kaito's pants. Then he froze, taking in a sharp, silent breath when KID turned to pick up the pajama shirt, displaying the mottled bruising across his upper back.

"KID…"

KID glanced over his shoulder to see Shinichi staring. "What?"

"Your back…"

"Oh. Yeah." It probably looked pretty bad. He wouldn't be surprised. "Rough night," he agreed. "You're probably worse."

Shinichi didn't need telling. He'd seen it for himself when he'd changed his clothes in the bathroom. "Sorry," he said without thinking.

"Huh?"

"I… The trap. Everything last night. I'm not sure, but this is probably my fault–"

KID laughed. "It's really not, Tantei-kun." He was smiling at him, his eyes warm. "Come on." He unfolded the pajama shirt with his fingertips and Shinichi helped him wriggle into it before crawling back into the bed. Kaito turned out the lights and slid in next to him.

For a few minutes, they both lay quiet in the dark, both suddenly too awake. Eventually KID whispered into the silence, "My name's Kuroba Kaito."

Shinichi's eyes opened. "…Are you only telling me because I might not remember?"

Kaito breathed out a laugh. "No. I'll tell you as many times as it takes for it to stick. I'd already made that decision. I'm not going to take it back just because I can. And… I'll tell you everything that happened tonight, if you trust me to. I'll do whatever I can to not make this one more thing they took away from you."

"KID…" Shinichi rolled onto his side to look at him, but his ribs didn't like that much. He made a soft sound of discomfort, shifting onto his back again and settling for just turning his head. He could just make out KID's face in the faint light from behind his curtains. KID met his eyes.

"You can call me Kaito. If you want."

"…Kaito," Shinichi said, testing it out. "Why–?"

"Get some rest, Tantei-kun," Kaito said, settling himself a little more deeply into Shinichi's pillows and drawing in a deep breath that was more like a suppressed yawn. "You're not supposed to be thinking too hard. You'll scramble that big brain of yours."

Shinichi smiled and turned his head back to stare up at the ceiling. "…'Shinichi'," he said.

"You sure?" KID answered. "You don't have to just because I–"

"No," Shinichi said. "I'd like it if you used my name."

Kaito smiled. "Okay Shinichi. Thanks."

They both fell quiet again and Kaito actually started to doze off, finally relaxing – something he'd never imagined he'd be able to do while lying beside a genius detective and sworn KID-catcher before the events of that night. And he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not, but he felt Shinichi's fingers wrap around his, carefully gentle.

Shinichi let out a soft sigh of relief at the returned pressure of Kaito's fingertips under the blanket they were sharing.

 _Kuroba Kaito,_ he thought as he started to drift off. _I hope I get to know you better._

He was smiling too as he finally fell asleep.

.

 **Author Note:**

Hey, would you look at that; I straight-up ignored the prompt again! lol I regret nothing.


	8. Chapter 8

"We're the only ones who didn't get the email about class being cancelled" college au

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So, this was beta'd by solomonara as usual, but I kinda ignored some of her suggestions this time around, so if anything is awkward, clunky, not-sense-making, etc. it's all on me! Also, everybody see the prompt? Wave bye-bye now!

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 _The Progression of Trust_

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The door at the back of the top tier of seating in the lecture hall opened.

The door at the bottom, at the front of the classroom on the opposite side, also opened in the same moment.

At the top Shinichi hurried in, his eyes on his watch, and stopped cold a moment later when he realized every seat was empty. And the only person, standing at the bottom where the professor normally would, was…

Shinichi squinted down at the distant young man. He seemed vaguely familiar, standing there looking around at the empty seats, but Shinichi was too far away to make out many details.

"Oi," he called down to him. "Are you in Professor Hamada's bio class?"

"Uh, yeah," the guy called back. His voice was familiar too…

"Got a clue where everybody is?" If Shinichi hadn't somehow misplaced his phone between his last class and this one, he might have been able to figure it out. Class _must_ have been cancelled, but he couldn't check his email to verify that.

The guy cupped a hand around one ear. "What?"

Shinichi sighed and started down the stairs. "Do you have a phone on you?" he asked as he went.

The guy pulled out a phone just as Shinichi was coming up beside him. "Battery's a little low," he murmured as he navigated to his emails without prompting. Shinichi was too focused on trying to figure out why the guy seemed so _familiar_ to consider that it might be rude to watch the phone screen as he did.

They caught just a glimpse of one of the most recent emails, the subject line reading "Class Cancelled" before the screen abruptly went black.

"Oh…" the guy said and Shinichi shrugged.

"Looks like class is cancelled anyway. You can go home and charge it." He headed for the nearest door and pushed against it. It thudded and stayed in place.

Shinichi's hands fell slowly from the push bar.

 _Oh…_ He turned back to the guy. _That's why._

"What's up?"

"…Door's locked," Shinichi answered coolly.

"What?" The guy went up to it, pushing against it with more force than Shinichi had first tried. "Uh…"

"I guess it locked behind you."

"What about the one _you_ came through?"

Shinichi crossed his arms. "I have a feeling it'll be the same, KID."

To KID's credit, he didn't bother trying to keep up the front. Instead, he grinned. "Why ever would you say that, Tantei-kun~?"

"Just this feeling I have. Did you steal my phone?"

"Yes."

Shinichi let out a sigh and his head dropped forward. "Normally that's not something a person just admits to."

"I think we can both agree that _not_ admitting to it would be fairly pointless."

He was still grinning, the _bastard._

"All right, you've got my attention, KID. What do you want?"

KID didn't answer immediately. He considered Shinichi for a few moments and then glanced away and Shinichi couldn't help but feel suspicious of the open uncertainty he saw on this expert actor's face. At the same time though, the hint of vulnerability tugged at something inside him. He didn't have to listen to that part of him, though. He had his logic and deductive reasoning and no _substantial_ reason to let this thief–

"I need your help."

Shinichi's brain seemed to skip – like bringing his foot down only to find that the floor wasn't where he'd expected. "What?"

"I have… a case." He'd turned completely away now, his back to Shinichi, and Shinichi actually looked down to see if his anesthetic watch was still there. It _was_.

"A case," Shinichi repeated slowly. _What is KID doing?_ He raised the watch and when KID didn't move he triggered it very deliberately at the wall. The needle shot out and pinged harmlessly against tile.

KID turned. "It's a cold case," he said, like Shinichi hadn't just thrown away his one best shot of capturing him out of sheer disbelief that KID would have left himself exposed. He'd honestly believed KID had tampered with the watch so that it wouldn't fire. (And he'd been _so_ certain of it that he had fired at the wall in a preemptive strike against the taunting that would have followed any attempt to shoot KID with a foiled watch. Definitely for _that_ reason and no other.)

Shinichi let out a soft sigh and leaned back against the table that spanned the first row of seats in the empty lecture hall. "Okay," he said firmly.

"…I haven't even told you about it yet."

"You've told me it's a case that's gone unsolved for too long. You've told me it's a case you yourself have tried to solve, for too long. You've told me it's personal."

KID's fingers went white, clenched tight around his phone which almost certainly was not _actually_ dead. Just another ruse to keep Shinichi locked in in case he'd taken longer to figure things out.

More important than that, though: KID wasn't wearing gloves. Shinichi's frown deepened.

"…What happened, KID?"

KID's eyes flickered to his. Then, in a blink, the thief's whole demeanor shifted, going cold and still and neutral. "The first Kaitou KID was murdered. Eleven years ago, today. Official reports say it was an accident."

"You want me to prove it wasn't?" Shinichi asked.

"No. I already know it wasn't. Proof is useless."

"…You want to know who did it–?"

"I know that, too."

Shinichi wanted to respond, but he stopped himself. KID wasn't an idiot – he knew better than anyone that evidence was everything for a conviction. If he said proof was useless even when he knew who was responsible, then there was something else coming. Something Shinichi didn't know.

"He was killed for being KID," KID said, and his stony voice had caved just enough to allow heated conviction to come through. "But he wasn't killed _as_ KID."

"They knew his identity…" Shinichi murmured. His mind grabbed first for the strongest statistics. The murderer could be someone the first KID had known personally. But… that didn't explain why _this_ KID was standing in front of him, bidding for help on a mystery he couldn't solve.

"They knew who he was," KID agreed. "I need to know _how_."

"How?" Shinichi repeated.

"Listen, if you think _I'm_ good, Meitantei, understand that I've got _nothing_ on–" He'd abruptly picked up speed and then visibly stopped himself, closing his eyes for a moment. "I think this is why I need your help, actually," KID said quietly. Carefully. "I need an unbiased opinion. It's… possible there are faults I'm not seeing because…"

" _You_ knew him personally," Shinichi filled in. "You and the first KID. You were close."

 _Eleven years ago – KID_ must _have been pretty young. A relative… That's the most likely answer, though certainly not the_ only _one._

"This… KID, listen. Are you sure you want to do this?"

A little of KID's spark returned to his eyes and he smirked at Shinichi. "You get it now, Tantei-kun. It's an answer I _need_ , but it's impossible to get without… sharing more than might be prudent for someone like me. It's impossible to ask you to solve this mystery and _not_ deduce things about _me_. So I'm not going to."

Shinichi opened his mouth but KID closed it with a touch, one quick, bare finger suddenly soft against Shinichi's lips. Shinichi's body immediately attempted to draw back but he was already right up against the first-row table. It didn't matter. A moment later the finger was gone again, though KID stayed close.

"Don't get me wrong, Tantei-kun," he said in a conspiratorial murmur. "I'm not just going to spill my life story here. …Would you be willing to meet me again? I could tell you a little at a time…"

"To give you a chance to be sure I'm someone you _should_ be telling," Shinichi agreed. "I assume you'll contact me?"

"…How concerned should I be about how eager you seem right now?" KID asked, backing off just a step.

Shinichi regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "Not at all? It's a case, KID, and you've made it pretty intriguing. I want to help. That _is_ what you brought me here for, isn't it?"

KID breathed out a quiet laugh. "I never had to lock you in a room in the first place." He snapped his fingers and Shinichi heard something click in the general direction of the door. "Thank you for listening to me anyway."

"About that…" Shinichi said. "Was class really cancelled? Or did you just _decide_ that it was?"

The return of KID's mischievous grin was something of a relief to Shinichi, whether it should have been or not. "I thought we could all use the night off. Don't you agree~?"

"Heh, sure, KID."

"Well then, goodnight Tantei-kun. I'll see you soon."

He was gone in a puff of smoke and Shinichi adjusted the bookbag on his shoulder, mind already far off, puzzling over the few clues KID had left him with until their next meeting. He moved mechanically toward the door, but a soft, cheery chime halted his steps before he reached it.

"My _phone_ ," he sighed, and followed the sound to the podium at the front of the room. The first thing he noticed was that the surface of the phone had been wiped clean. The next was that he had a text from "Kaitou KID", listing out a date, time, and location. He tucked the phone into his pocket and headed home.

.

In the beginning their meetings were always in the middle of the night, in what were normally public places except for the late hour. At their first meeting in a darkened theatre on campus, KID told Shinichi the story of Phantom Lady.

"She was an international jewel thief, famous as the Woman of Twenty Faces. But she fell into a trap. Some… less savory characters were attempting to profit off of her thefts by selling replicas of her stolen targets."

"Ryoma's treasure," Shinichi said.

"That's just one example. When it started, it was on a much larger scale. She attempted to stop them. They attempted to kill her."

"But… they failed," Shinichi said slowly.

"They did. An unknown thief happened to be passing by. He stole her away."

"A bit dramatic."

"Her words, not mine," KID said, his quirked smile just visible in the dim safety lighting around the edge of the stage.

"…You've already told me Phantom Lady is your mother." The words held a delicate caution. Shinichi knew he was walking a knife edge of trust with KID and there were bound to be landmines of personal information everywhere. Better to keep all the cards on the table.

KID just nodded. "What I haven't told you is that Kaitou KID came into existence as a means of protecting Phantom Lady. His purpose was to take her place so that she could safely retire. He made himself into a target to draw their fire away from her."

"Sounds familiar," Shinichi said, glancing at KID.

KID nodded with a bitter little smile but didn't say any more.

 _It's still a little too soon,_ Shinichi thought. "Could you… tell me a little more about Phantom Lady? What type of thief was she? Strategy, targets, where and when she was active…"

The smile became more real then. _He understands,_ Kaito thought.Shinichi was only asking for information that would be accessible through police files anyway. He wasn't pressing or prying, just trying to get a feel for KID's origins without overstepping any boundaries.

They talked well into the night.

.

At their second meeting, on a hotel rooftop near the college campus, KID told Shinichi just a little about his predecessor.

"He was the best magician in the world!" KID said, sighing at the stars with an easy smile on his face.

"Heh. I see what you mean about needing an unbiased opinion."

"Hey, you never met him. You have no idea how incredible he was. Someone's gotta be the best, and it was him."

Shinichi couldn't help smiling. KID was… _fun_ when he got defensive. He'd never seen it before. "Best in some things, maybe," he said, purposely goading him. "But the best in every regard?"

"Let me put it to you this way: he was the Sherlock Holmes of magicians."

The knowing look KID gave him left Shinichi helpless to the blush that followed. "Okay, I get it," he murmured.

KID smiled.

.

At their third meeting, KID sat perched on a jungle gym in a dark playground off a deserted jogging path as Shinichi leaned against one of the struts below him, and they didn't talk about anything of consequence at all. KID had recognized almost immediately that Shinichi was frustrated about something, and had gently prodded him into talking about it. In return, KID allowed himself to vent a bit about a carefully unnamed childhood friend, and even a little about Hakuba, though strictly in the context of heists. It was dawn before either knew it.

KID had made a habit of secretly watching over Shinichi as the detective made his way back to his apartment at the end of each of their meetings. This time, as he did, he had to admit to himself that Shinichi was easy to talk to. He hadn't been expecting that. With how carefully KID had to monitor which details he shared and which he left out, he hadn't expected to enjoy it as much as he really did.

.

For their fourth meeting, KID asked Shinichi to return to the campus theatre, saying only that it seemed appropriate. Shinichi agreed, and joined him on the dark stage once again.

The shadows seemed heavier somehow than they had at their first agreed upon meeting a month ago. KID was tense – not sitting, not pacing, just standing at the very edge of the stage with his back to the house seating, staring across the empty space. Shinichi stayed near the edge of the stage, just at the top of the stairs, and waited.

"It was supposed to be an escape trick," KID said after a long silence. "A new one. Never before seen, and all that. But he'd practiced it plenty. Never had so much as a close call, and never worked without help nearby just in case. He knew… He knew no show is worth a life."

KID went quiet again. The dark was far too deep for Shinichi to read his face, but a few seconds later KID waved Shinichi over and sat again on the stage with him.

"There's no magicians' code more important than a life either," KID said, his tone steady and conversational again. And if he was hiding anything under it, Shinichi couldn't tell. "So I'm gonna explain how the trick worked, and why it didn't this time, and it'll just stay between us, okay?"

Shinichi nodded, and KID explained. Shinichi listened attentively as the setting, the trick, and the sabotage were all outlined. He asked careful questions and received unguarded answers and they both knew that, with as much information as Shinichi had now, he could look up the police report.

It wasn't even a test of trust. KID just knew that he wouldn't.

Shinichi turned the facts over and over in his mind long into the morning after they parted ways.

.

Shinichi was confused when KID's next text directed him to an enormous four-lane bridge over a river, complete with city traffic rushing across it. He stood beside it, staring down at his phone in consternation and wondering if he shouldn't have taken the directions literally (this was KID after all – it might have been code) when a quiet voice in his ear made him jump.

"Good evening, Tantei-kun~" KID said.

Shinichi turned sharply, trying to bring his heart rate back down, and hissed in exasperation, " _KID_ –" He cut himself off though, bewildered. Far from the striking white of KID's suit, cape, and silk hat that he'd been expecting, the thief was dressed in all black with a simple baseball cap and gloves. The card gun appeared out of nowhere, a grappling hook sticking out from the barrel, and KID nodded up at the steel support beams of the bridge that rose high above them.

"You have got to be kidding me," Shinichi breathed out.

"Not at all." KID offered his free hand to Shinichi and for a few stubborn seconds Shinichi's brain jumped from _No way in hell_ to _Well maybe_ to _But only if I'm getting_ myself _up there_ at which point he reached under his blazer for the suspenders. His brain then jumped to _I'm being ridiculous_ before his fingertips could so much as brush them. He took KID's hand instead.

KID's grin was staggering, or maybe it was the firm tug he'd given Shinichi's arm. Shinichi stumbled forward a little and then KID had a strong arm wrapped around his back, pressing them firmly together.

"Hold on tight, Tantei-kun," KID said, and Shinichi did, hurrying to get both arms around him, fingers clutching the back of KID's shirt as the grappling hook shot so far up into the night sky that Shinichi's eyes couldn't follow it. Then their feet left the ground behind in a rush and they were flying up the side of the bridge.

KID had picked a spot with plenty of intersecting beams for footholds and they made it to the top easily, sitting on the cold metal of the uppermost beam and staring down at the city lights reflecting off the river. Then KID produced two thermoses and handed one over to Shinichi.

"What is this?" he laughed, accepting it and popping open part of the lid.

"Coffee for you; hot chocolate for me~"

Shinichi grinned then took a tentative sip. It was just warm enough not to burn, with the perfect amount of cream. He quirked an eyebrow at KID.

"Oh come on, stalking your coffee preferences is, like, the _least_ criminal thing I've done."

 _And you obviously trust me,_ KID didn't add. _Without question._ It was an oddly heavy feeling.

"So?" Shinichi said. "What prompted this particular spot? I assume you had a reason, though…" His eyes went a little distant, his head tipped gently to the side. "Maybe not," he decided.

"Heh, there's a bit of a reason," KID said, licking chocolate from his lips. "Not very likely we'll be overheard up here." They were sitting close, KID unwilling to let Shinichi stray too far in case he lost his balance, and when Shinichi went still, KID felt it. "…I want to tell you more about the murderer… and the organization he belongs to."

This time Shinichi flinched and it was only KID's quick hand that kept the thermos of coffee from tumbling down to the river below. He took it from Shinichi's grasp and set it aside. "What? What's wrong?"

Shinichi's eyes flickered over to KID for a split second before locking back on the scenery underneath them. "Nothing. It's… probably nothing."

"Tantei-kun–"

"Just–"

They both stopped and Shinichi was the first to try again. "Just… tell me. Whatever you were going to say. And we'll go from there, okay?"

KID hesitated but eventually agreed with a small nod. He told Shinichi about Snake and Pandora – the murderer and his motive laid out. He told him as much as he could about Snake's organization and their goals, and as he did he watched Shinichi carefully, noting that the color never quite returned to the detective's face.

"I had a run in with them personally, a few years back," KID added, staring down at the empty thermos between his hands. "I swore I'd stop them. That I'd find the stone they're looking for and destroy it. I made my intentions perfectly clear, and made myself a target."

"You couldn't bear to do anything else."

It was the first time Shinichi had spoken since KID had started his explanation, and the understanding there was tangible.

Shinichi confessed to KID his own involvement with a nefarious criminal organization. He told him his theories on their goals, and their possible connection to the organization KID had described. And he talked about his experiences with them – talked about _Conan_ for the first time since he'd left that life behind.

That part, at least, wasn't a surprise to KID, but he had to acknowledge again that heavy feeling of _trust_ as Shinichi spoke.

This time, when Shinichi made his way back to his apartment under early white sunlight, KID kept a much closer watch.

.

Shinichi came to their sixth meeting guessing KID's intent. He'd chosen the clock tower this time and KID wasn't one to waste such a significant site on any insignificant revelation, so before KID had the chance to speak, Shinichi stopped him.

"I want you to be sure," he said. They were standing in the room behind the clock face, both just a little more on edge than they normally would be in these times when they were alone with each other and the stillness of night. "Because I know Phantom Lady is your mother, and I'd figured from the start that the first KID was a relative of yours. From how you described his relationship with Phantom Lady, the way you talk about him, and how you've taken up his mantle and his mission… from how deeply you've been influenced by him, I'm mostly sure that the first KID is your father."

KID neither confirmed nor denied the deduction. He just spoke two words into the dim room.

"Kuroba Toichi."

They didn't say any more that night.

.

At their seventh meeting, Shinichi asked if he could look up the first KID's heists and the file on his "accidental" death. KID gave him his blessing.

.

After a short text conversation, it was quickly agreed that their eighth meeting would be at a hotel, and KID promptly booked a room at the largest one in the area under a forgettable pseudonym. He picked up both keys in disguise and texted Shinichi the room number. When Shinichi arrived, it was with a backpack stuffed full of copies of case files, and they immediately set to work.

For once, their meeting had started in the afternoon instead of the middle of the night, but they'd pored over the files nonstop for hours, getting completely lost in the detail of their work.

It was morning when KID noticed that Shinichi was starting to fade. He didn't say anything though – just let Shinichi fall asleep among the files he'd spread over one of the beds then gathered them up and covered him with a blanket from the empty bed beside it.

When Shinichi woke, he found KID curled up on the floor, files scattered around him and his hat tipped crooked to cover his eyes. One glance around the room told him that KID had just kept working until he couldn't anymore, falling asleep where he sat.

Shinichi lost the battle not to blush at the blanket KID had clearly covered him with. He got up quietly and went to the electric kettle, heating up some water and picking a packet from the basket beside it. The scent of warm chocolate roused KID quickly and he got up, tiptoeing around the files to come to Shinichi's side. Shinichi pushed the foam cup into his hands.

"I figured you'd be as hungry as me," Shinichi laughed as KID downed half the cup in one go with exactly zero doubt as to its trustworthiness. Shinichi pretended not to notice that fact, focusing instead on stirring another cup into a reasonable approximation of coffee. For a few quiet moments they just stood by the kettle, both rumpled and exhausted and starving.

"Do you–?" they both started to ask.

"Heh." Shinichi took over. "I was gonna ask if you wanted me to go out and get some food to bring back."

KID smirked at him. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to go out to get some food _with_ me."

"No offense but I think Kaitou KID would make a scene wherever he went."

"You're very right about that." KID dropped a smoke bomb and then he was standing beside Shinichi in casual clothes – no cap, no gloves, and no disguise. "You already know my face, Meitantei. I don't think it's unreasonable for us to have lunch as friends.

Shinichi smiled. "What do I call you?"

The pause was barely there, whether it should have been or not. "Call me Kaito."

.

It was on their way back to the hotel during a small lull in their after-lunch conversation that KID quietly confessed, "Kaito is my given name."

Shinichi stumbled a little, seeming to trip over his own feet. KID steadied him without a thought.

"And you were right," he went on. "Kuroba Toichi is my father."

Shinichi didn't manage words again until they were back in the hotel room. "Is it still okay if I call you Kaito?" he asked.

"Oh… Yeah, of course. I mean, not while I'm–"

"No, of course, not as KID, just… I figured we could meet as us now." There was no apology or hesitance there. And there was no need.

Kaito smiled. "Yeah."

"Anyway, I noticed you extended the reservation for the room already. Why don't you get some sleep. I'll take over looking at the case files." At Kaito's hesitation, he added, "I promise I'll wake you up if I have any big revelations."

"Heh." Kaito went to the blanketless bed and dropped onto it. "Sure thing, Meitantei."

A quick glance was all it took.

"…Shinichi." Kaito revised.

.

It went unspoken that the very nature of their meetings changed from then on. They became more frequent, initiated on both sides now and no longer restricted to isolated locations in the middle of the night. They continued to work but, just as often, they didn't.

.

The resolution came almost unexpectedly at a mostly typical heist.

Snake was there. Shinichi saw him before KID did and he watched him – tracked his movements, KID's movements, the task force's movements. He got five steps ahead of _everyone_ that night and set a trap. For once, KID wouldn't be the bait.

One ruby theft and a lot of running later, Shinichi slumped down on his knees, breathless on a rooftop three blocks down from the target's museum. KID joined him moments later. Shinichi had planned for KID to be uninvolved, but the moment the shooting had started KID had decided otherwise on Shinichi's behalf. It was just as well. Shinichi was pretty sure the sirens wailing below weren't for KID.

KID dropped to the roof, just subtly out of breath, and grabbed at Shinichi's arm, trying to turn him so he could look him over.

"I'm fine," Shinichi mostly panted. KID swallowed hard with a short nod.

For a few quiet moments they sat, hearts slowly easing back to normal rhythms before Shinichi peered over the edge of the roof.

"Hey, KID… About your case–"

"Forget it," KID said. "It was stupid."

"I think it's sort of resolved."

"What?" KID shifted over to look down at the street and saw Snake being manhandled into a patrol car, his hat missing and his hands cuffed behind his back. KID started laughing. "What do you know? I think you're right." They both sat back again and KID cast a speculative glance over Shinichi. "Would it hurt your pride if I called off the investigation?"

"Not at all," Shinichi sighed with a smile.

"How 'bout if I ask you on a date?"

This time Shinichi grinned. "I _knew_ it! You were waiting until that issue of yours was dealt with." He leaned closer. "What would you have done if this had continued to drag on?"

"Well, not endangered you, obviously. But I knew you'd figure something out."

"This is a _really_ weird manifestation of your passive-aggressive side."

"I don't _have_ a passive-aggressive side."

"Well what else would you call leaving the progression of this relationship in my hands for _months_?"

"Trust."

"You're a jackass."

"I'm aware. But hey, Shinichi… you didn't answer me."

"You didn't ask! And anyway–"

"We're already dating, aren't we."

"Yeah, I think so."

"Hm. Well then." KID reached up and swept his hat from his head. Then he was in front of Shinichi, leaning in close.

"KID just… wait a second," Shinichi said softly. He had reached out, holding on to KID, but his tone was serious in a way KID knew to be all business. "I can connect Snake to your father's murder," he said, and he felt KID go still. "Now that we have him, I can prove it. I can prove everything."

It took KID a few seconds to relax again. Shinichi didn't let him go until he did. "Heh. But you still don't know how he knew."

"No," Shinichi agreed. "I don't think I'll _ever_ find that answer. Not from papers and police reports. I did meet the first KID once, but I was a kid then. _The first time_ ," he added somewhat irritably at the twitch of KID's lips. "My point is that it's not enough to go on. I… have some theories. None that I'm comfortable with, for more reasons than one. If he was anything like you, the only scenario I can imagine would be that someone he trusted let something slip, and my parents–"

"Shinichi," KID's hand had found his, stopping the rush of words. "It's fine. All I really wanted to know was if I had missed something obvious. I… just needed somebody to ground me. I never expected you to actually pull an answer for me from practically nothing."

Finally drawing away from him, Shinichi glanced over the edge of the roof again. The police cars were pulling away, the night going quiet in their wake.

"Maybe not," he murmured. "All the same, the underlying issue is gone now. And you're careful, KID. No one's going to find out who you are."

"No one I don't _want_ to," KID agreed. He replaced his hat and stood, helping Shinichi to his feet. "You better get back down there," he sighed. "They'll be worried."

"Hang on a second." Shinichi tightened his grip on KID's hand quickly, clinging. "Are you sure you… I mean– …I don't think you should be alone tonight."

"Is that an offer?"

Shinichi's eyebrows pulled down. "Of course it is." Then, "Oh… _Oh_ , did you think I meant…? No, I just, um–"

"Shinichi," KID laughed. He reached out, his hand coming to rest with gentle pressure against the back of Shinichi's neck, drawing him in so that their foreheads touched, KID's hat tipping back. "I came to you for help – you gave me that and a hell of a lot more. I'd be an idiot not to take your advice."

"Well," Shinichi breathed out with a soft laugh. "I'm not gonna _argue_. So, how 'bout this time when you follow me back to my apartment, you just stay."

KID drew back a little, abashed, his eyes skating off to the side. "Knew about that from the start, huh?"

"Of course."

Slowly, deliberately, KID looked up again, meeting his eyes. Shinichi hesitated for a long moment then leaned in, too aware of his own movements. It was so unfamiliar, this kind of closeness with KID, but he liked it. It was too interesting to resist. Too new. He eased closer and KID let him – let him take his time and explore the feeling just before their lips touched. Then, for a moment, all Shinichi was aware of was KID's warmth against him and the scent of KID's skin in the night air. He found he didn't want to step away when that moment ended.

"I have to go, Tantei-kun," KID whispered, but he didn't move, one hand still held tight in Shinichi's and the other still soft against his neck.

"But I'll see you soon?" Shinichi asked.

"I'm looking forward to it," KID answered with a smile.

.

 **Author Note:**

It is by happy chance that I get to post this on Shinichi's birthday! And for once I'm not being mean to him! Yay!


	9. Chapter 9

"Tried to get the candy bar that didn't drop out of the vending machine and now my hand is stuck can you help me out?" au

.

 _Caught_

.

There was exactly _one_ upside to a heist scheduled to take place in the basement of a university building: no windows. Everything else about the venue, unfortunately for the detectives, was nothing short of chaotic.

The target KID had announced was a 17th century brooch – a classic faceted emerald in a tarnished and dented silver setting that was currently being studied by the university's archaeology department to determine its origins. This ultimately meant that, in addition to a jewel that had no proper security or even a display case, the heist also came with a pack of starry-eyed students, a smart-ass TA, and an incredibly antsy professor. And that was just _inside_ the building. Even in the basement, Nakamori, Hakuba, and Shinichi could hear the fans (mostly students) screaming outside.

Fortunately, they'd had just enough time to prepare. Between the three of them, KID's detectives managed to station officers and metal detectors at each door that led out of the basement. There would be plenty of face pinching, and no chance that the silver brooch could leave that floor without setting off alarms.

And no chance of checking the gem in the moonlight without it leaving the basement.

Kaitou KID was beginning to regret not waiting for the university to finish its studies of the brooch before announcing he would steal it. The air vents in the basement were far too small for him, and with no windows he was feeling slightly claustrophobic. He fidgeted a little with the hem of his (or rather, the TA's) blouse and gave Hakuba a long, eyelash-fluttering look when he tried to scrutinize the motion.

"You doin' anything after this?" KID asked in the TA's voice.

"Yes," Hakuba answered smoothly. "Arresting Kaitou KID. The legalities should take a while."

KID didn't have to fake his pout, but Hakuba had walked away without attempting to pinch his face so he called it a victory and turned his attention back to the brooch. It was almost time.

.

As promised in KID's notice, the brooch and the teasing, grinning thief in white both vanished impossibly from everyone's sight at precisely 9 PM, after a short and rather one-sided game of keep-away through the basement halls. The detectives and task force officers had little choice at that point but to evacuate the civilians through the carefully monitored checkpoints, but once everyone was gone, leaving only three mostly miffed and marginally baffled detectives, they had to admit that KID must have slipped away again.

"Could he have found a way to fool the metal detectors?" Nakamori wondered after three firm face pinches confirmed that the only three people in the basement were who they appeared to be.

"Perhaps…" Hakuba murmured.

"He would have had to fool the officers testing faces at the doors too," Shinichi added. "Though… I guess he's managed that before."

"In any case, we should make sure he did not hide the brooch here somewhere to retrieve later."

.

The search was long and meticulous, but ultimately turned up nothing. Nakamori sighed and leaned against a vending machine in one of the student lounges.

"Do you think KID did whatever it is he did here just to show off?" he asked. "I mean, he _could_ have tampered with a detector, or could have just let one go off and still made his escape."

"I think he likes it when there's a little wonder in his heists," Shinichi said, brushing ceiling panel dust out of his hair. "It's part of the magic."

Hakuba hummed his agreement. "At any rate, we have done all we can here." He checked his pocket watch. "It is now 11:43, 37 seconds, 16 milliseconds. Perhaps we should call it a night."

The three detectives slowly made their way up from the basement and outside where Hakuba's housekeeper and Aoko were waiting.

" _There_ you are," Aoko shot at Nakamori, hands on her hips. "I've been waiting forever." She glanced at Hakuba and added, "By the way, Hakuba-kun, your baby pictures are really adorable."

Hakuba's cheeks went pink. "Er, thank you," he murmured, but his eyes narrowed in his housekeeper's direction. She was smiling and waving serenely at him with her phone in hand.

"It's rather late, Bocchama," she said. "Don't you have classes in the morning?"

"Yes," Hakuba conceded.

They said their goodbyes and headed out, Nakamori and Aoko in one car and Hakuba and his housekeeper in another. Shinichi let out a silent sigh, watching them drive off.

 _I guess I should head home, too…_

It wasn't that appealing a thought. He _was_ a little tired, but the Kudou manor always felt particularly empty and quiet after a KID heist. It would likely mean another night of lying awake, and if that was going to be the case anyway, he might as well get some coffee and spend the night in the library.

Heartened by his new plan, Shinichi turned and headed back into the building. The vending machine in the student lounge downstairs offered cans of iced coffee. That would do to tide him over until he got home.

They had shut off the lights when they left but he didn't bother to turn them back on. Heading down to the basement, he traveled by the light of his watch and the various exit signs and eventually came to the glow of the vending machines in the lounge. He put in his money and pushed the button for iced coffee. The machine answered with a sad kind of noise and nothing came out.

"What? It's not out. Why–?" He took a step back, looking the machine over. "Wait… Seriously?" Dropping his bag aside, Shinichi moved around the machine, shoving it away from the wall a little and inspecting it from all sides. There was a lock on one side of it – something KID could have picked in a second, but not without lock picks that would have set off the metal detectors. It had been unlikely enough to not be worth calling in the company to open the machine, or worth damaging the property by prying it open themselves. But now…

Looking closer, the machine was unusually clean, all the dust wiped away. _So that no one would notice if only_ some _of it had been disturbed,_ he theorized. "Maybe KID _did_ manage to get it open somehow…"

Crouching in front of the machine again, Shinichi aimed his watch light into the drop-slot. They had already checked there without any luck but… _If the brooch is farther in, the can of coffee probably got stuck right by it. It should be easier to find now._

Sitting on the floor, he carefully worked his hand through the slot and up into the machine, feeling around for anything out of the ordinary. He twisted his arm around, trying to reach up as far as he could and groping from side to side, but nothing seemed out of place. _It must be higher up,_ he thought. _I won't be able to reach it._ Giving up, he started to ease his arm back down. A tight tug on his wrist stopped his progress.

"…Oh no."

Shinichi quickly determined the problem with a little wiggling of his hand. His watch had caught on something inside the machine, and the more he tried to move it, the more the strap seemed to bite into his wrist. Still, he pulled and twisted and tried to push back up into the machine, but no matter what he did he couldn't manage to free himself, and there wasn't enough room in the drop-slot for him to reach up with his other hand and remove the watch from his wrist. His head thudded against the front of the machine with a frustrated grumble.

For a good few seconds, Shinichi didn't move, but eventually he knew he had to give in. "This is gonna be embarrassing," he groaned as he fished his phone out of his pocket. "I guess Hakuba would be my best bet." Scrolling through his contacts, he selected Hakuba's name, but his phone never made it to the call screen. Instead, it beeped softly at him, flashing a "No Signal" message before the screen went dark.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

Shinichi stared down at his phone for a long time in the dim glow of the vending machine, trying to come up with another way out, but it was looking more and more likely that he'd just have to wait there until morning for someone to find him.

It wasn't like anyone would know if he didn't make it home.

Letting out another soft groan, Shinichi rested his head against the machine and closed his eyes.

.

KID returned to the campus at midnight dressed in all black and grinning beneath his baseball cap as he crept back into the building where he'd left his targeted brooch. Everything had gone exactly as planned so far and he was feeling pretty good about that, right up until he reached the student lounge. KID froze in the doorway, not so much as breathing when he spotted the person sitting in front of the vending machine he'd come for.

Dashing immediately back around the corner, KID forced himself calm again and took a breath.

 _Okay. That was definitely Kudou Shinichi. Dammit, I thought he left… Though, it didn't look like he noticed me. Actually…_ Peeking around the doorframe, KID stared at the detective in the warm light from the vending machine. It actually looked like he might be sleeping, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his left shoulder leaning against the machine.

 _No, wait…_ KID looked closer than breathed out a silent laugh. _Seriously, Tantei-kun?_ The grin reappeared and KID quickly exchanged his black clothes for his signature suit, cape, and silk hat. Then he swept silently into the room and crouched right in front of the detective.

"You seem to be a little stuck, Tantei-kun~"

Shinichi jerked, his eyes flying open with a yelp that turned into a pained groan when he instinctively tried to move his trapped arm.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy there," KID said, holding up his hands.

Shinichi was clutching at his shoulder, teeth clenched, but he stared at KID in the dim light. Even up close, the shadow of the hat and the reflection of the machine's light on KID's monocle made it difficult to see, but KID's mouth seemed to be set in a soft, concerned frown.

"You came back here for the brooch right?" Shinichi said, staring him down and maybe trying just a little to look formidable despite dismal odds. "I knew it."

KID blinked then started to laugh. "That all you can say? So you figured out I hid the brooch in this machine, but you got stuck when you tried to get it out, is that it?"

Shinichi turned his face away, not quite able to keep the frustrated pout from showing.

KID settled down on the floor across from him and tapped a finger thoughtfully against the side of his own face. He'd never had the opportunity to be this close to Shinichi without concern for his own safety before, especially given that the detective had only recovered from his… age predicament a few months ago.

Without really thinking, KID reached out and pushed Shinichi's bangs back, staring into his eyes.

" _What_ are you doing?" Shinichi demanded.

KID leaned in a little farther. "Looking at your eyes," he answered simply. Those, at least, hadn't changed, besides being free of the glasses Conan always wore, but… KID's fingers shifted to move slowly down the side of Shinichi's face, exploring features that were more defined now than they had been as Conan. "I don't think I really did you justice all those times I imitated you," KID murmured.

A faint blush rose to Shinichi's cheeks, but KID's eyes had moved on to his lips and stopped there.

"…What are you staring at?" Shinichi eventually insisted.

KID blinked and his eyes darted again to Shinichi's as he settled back. He let out a little laugh. "Sorry. I was… Well, I was thinking about what it would be like to kiss you."

Shinichi spluttered a little and edged back, getting a painful reminder of how trapped he was at the moment.

"Sorry," KID said again quickly. "I know it sounds weird, it's just… I don't think we'll get another opportunity like this, you know." He glanced over at the machine that had not only trapped Shinichi's arm, but his dart watch as well. "So it's just really tempting, is all."

There was a sad note in KID's voice that made Shinichi feel inexplicably like _he'd_ done something wrong. "Look, I just don't make a habit of kissing people before I even know their name," he said, defensive.

KID leaned in again. "Is that the only thing stopping us?" he asked, and Shinichi couldn't overlook the _hope_ in it. His heart already seemed to be racing, and a little part of him knew this was stupid – the two of them sitting on the floor of a basement in the dark with his arm half numb and stuck in a vending machine – but he also knew that KID was right. They wouldn't have a chance like this again. There was no one around and really nothing Shinichi could do to _catch_ the thief now, so, in a way, it lifted the nagging sense of duty from him and cleared a path to something… _else_.

"At this point," Shinichi sighed, sounding deliberately put upon with the attitude and expression to match. "I'd have to say yes."

He wasn't able to keep up the haughty act for long because then KID smiled at him and moved closer.

"Kuroba Kaito," KID whispered, and a heartbeat later Shinichi had reached around to curl his fingers into the messy hair below KID's hat, drawing him into a kiss and keeping him there for considerably longer than KID had been expecting. When they both eased back, KID's smile was a little brighter and Shinichi's face was a little more pink.

"Heh. Let's see if I can get you out of there, okay, Tantei-kun?" KID said, and Shinichi breathed out a laugh. KID rose gracefully to his feet and a set of lock picks appeared in his hands.

"Wooden lock picks?" Shinichi commented, watching him go to work on the vending machine's lock.

"Metal detectors?" KID replied with a smirk.

Shinichi smiled – the kind of smile he usually wore on the rare occasions when they'd laid their rivalry aside to work together. The kind that was satisfaction, but also kinship and gratitude and the shedding of a deep loneliness he'd never admit to. The kind that KID had never seen on _Shinichi's_ face before now, only Conan's, and KID fumbled the lock picks a little. Fortunately, the lock had already clicked open so he was able to vanish the picks without being too obvious about his momentary lapse. "Hold still," he told Shinichi, and he pushed the front of the machine open just a little so he could reach inside.

Shinichi felt gloved fingers moving very gently over his wrist. Then the latch of his watch was released and he wriggled his hand free of it, finally easing his arm down through the slot. He slumped a little and started the unpleasant process of coaxing some feeling other than _numb_ and _prickly_ back into it.

KID emerged from the vending machine holding one can of coffee, one watch, and one 17th century emerald brooch. "A bit late for coffee, isn't it, Tantei-kun?" he laughed, tossing Shinichi the can. Shinichi caught it on instinct, bobbled it a little when his left hand didn't respond exactly as expected, then reached over for his bag.

"It's not late at all if you don't plan to sleep," he said, tucking the can away.

"Which you don't, of course," KID replied with a shrug, but there was a question in his eyes.

Shinichi's gaze dropped to his lap. "I guess I'm not really ready for the night to be over, that's all."

"I can understand that," KID said lightly, and they both knew there was more to it than that, but Shinichi was grateful not to have it addressed.

KID was staring at the watch when Shinichi looked up again. After a few quiet seconds, he held it out. "Here."

At first Shinichi reached for it, but then he stopped. "…If I let you hang on to it, do you think I could maybe take you out for a drink?" he wondered aloud, then added with a smirk, "Even if it _is_ late."

It didn't take all that much deliberation on KID's part. "Yeah. Let's do it," he said, vanishing the watch and offering his hand instead. Shinichi accepted it without thought.

Once Shinichi had made it to his feet, KID closed up the vending machine and sketched a shallow bow, sweeping his arm out. "After you~"

Shinichi at least made an effort not to roll his eyes, but he was pretty sure he failed. Still, he headed for the stairs and when he glanced back KID was dressed in a rather normal t-shirt, jacket, and jeans. Shinichi brought his attention forward again to hide a smile.

Somewhere within the half minute it took them to make it outside, KID had managed to sneak his hand into Shinichi's. When Shinichi noticed, he didn't complain, even when the brooch appeared again in KID's other hand. The emerald glinted under the light as he held it up to the sky.

"Well?" Shinichi asked, glancing between the jewel and KID.

"Heh. Not what I'm looking for," KID admitted with a sigh. "I'll return it of course," he added, though the brooch had disappeared again. He felt Shinichi's hand close a little tighter around his.

"You're one hell of a mystery, KID. …Kuroba."

KID smiled at him, moon-bright. "Careful," he said, nudging Shinichi's shoulder. "I know how much you love mysteries. I might read into that."

Shinichi turned away, but KID could still see the faint blush and smile as he murmured back, "I think that would be okay."

.

 **Author Note:**

Please note: I am by no means an expert in metals and/or their detection, but, by my research, metal detectors work by detecting the electrical conductivity (and mass?) of an item, and silver has the highest electrical conductivity of any metal so… yeah. I'm good with it lol

Haaaaaaa it's been so long since I posted one of these! There's only one prompt left, but I don't have any good ideas for it yet, so it might be a while again before I finish this off.

Instead, please look forward to a new series of Kaishin/Shinkai one-shots I've put together called Prism Love! I've had most of these written for over a year now, but I was waiting to post until I'd finished the fourth (out of five – I never write in order) that was giving me _quite_ a lot of trouble.


	10. Chapter 10

"We're the only ones on campus who didn't go home for Christmas" au

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 _Christmas on Campus_

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It had been unusually snowy for early winter in Japan. Kaito dug the toe of his boot into the snow beside the park bench and let out a foggy sigh. It was cold enough that he hadn't been in the mood for heists lately, but that just meant he was getting bored. And maybe a little lonely. Hakuba was in England for Christmas and Aoko and Akako were off doing whatever it was new couples did on a romantic night like Christmas Eve. He burrowed deeper into his scarf.

And then Kudou Shinichi walked by.

Kaito sat up a little straighter and watched him pass the bench without the slightest glance at Kaito. Shinichi had walked past that spot at some point in the early evening almost every weekday since classes had started, always with a paper coffee cup in his hand. This time the steam rising from the slotted lid was bright in the cold air and curled around him as he passed by. Kaito stared.

And then he knew what had made him come out to sit around in the freezing cold on a bench for no good reason. Why should they _both_ be alone and bored on Christmas Eve? He dug into the snow with a gloved hand.

"Oi, Tantei-kun!"

Shinichi stopped mid-step a short way down the sidewalk. Then, in a fit of horrible timing, he slowly started to turn back. The snowball Kaito had lobbed at him collided perfectly with his arm and the coffee cup sloshed into a steaming, fragrant mess on the sidewalk. At the same time, Shinichi leapt back to avoid getting burned, slipped on ice, and landed flat on his back in a snowbank.

"Oh shit!" Kaito bolted forward and crouched over Shinichi with his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to do that. Are you okay?" He offered his hand but Shinichi just blinked up at him. There was a sprinkling of snowflakes in his hair and clinging to his coat and scarf and jeans.

"KID?"

"Er, yeah," Kaito said, pink-faced and hatless. "I was seriously about to ask you out on a Christmas Eve date but now I just sort of feel like an idiot."

Shinichi blinked again, still making no move to get up from the snow. "Why were you about to ask me out on a Christmas Eve date?"

"Well," Kaito said, giving up and sitting in the snow at Shinichi's side. "Because it's Christmas Eve and maybe neither of us has anything better to do. I thought it might be fun."

"Oh. That's a more reasonable answer than I was expecting." Shinichi sat up and looked over at Kaito. Kaito found that snow-dusted, windswept Kudou Shinichi was kind of appealing in a way he had never really considered before. "Well… I was just heading back to the dorm. I don't really have any plans."

"Then at least let me buy you another coffee. I do feel really bad about that," Kaito said, glancing at the brown puddle on the sidewalk. He stood and offered Shinichi his hand again. This time he took it.

"Maybe," Shinichi said as he made it to his feet, but there was suddenly something dangerous in his eyes that made Kaito's flight instincts spark violently. "But first–" He leaned down again and scooped up a generous heap of snow, pressing it together with both hands.

"You're not serious," Kaito said, staring.

Shinichi grinned. "An eye for an eye, KID."

"You expect me to just stand still and take it?" Kaito had already shifted to the balls of his feet, crouched just slightly with a smirk tugging firmly at the corners of his chapped lips.

"Definitely not," Shinichi answered and drew his arm back as if to throw. Kaito darted back toward the bench for some cover, ducking down behind it. Then a snowball landed solidly on the top of his head and he let out a yelp as snow slid under his scarf. Shinichi was laughing.

"I knew you'd go for the bench!" he said, already scooping up another ball. The first had been lobbed up in a high arc that had come down perfectly timed for when Kaito had reached the bench. Shinichi was beaming. Kaito's grin went sharp and he dug into the snow with both hands.

"Predictions aside, I'm still faster than you, Tantei-kun!" he warned, and flung another snowball. It hit Shinichi in the back as he turned to run, abandoning the sidewalk and tromping through the snow to the nearest tree. Even as he reached it, another snowball hit its branches and a thick flurry of snow dropped over his head.

"Hey!" He brushed the snow from his face and glared over at Kaito who was grinning from behind the bench. "I bet you think you're pretty clever."

"I _know_ I'm clever~!"

Shinichi ducked behind the tree trunk as another snowball sailed his way. Hidden, he pressed some snow into a tightly packed, overlarge ball and waited.

"…Gotcha!" Shinichi stepped back from the tree and drop-kicked the snowball up into the branches above him. The kick loosened the snow and it exploded with a _paff_ right in Kaito's face. Kaito spluttered and the snowball in his hand dropped pathetically at the base of the tree.

"You're horrible!" Kaito called down.

"Oh yeah?" Shinichi called back. "What kind of gentleman asks a guy on a date without even giving his name first?"

Kaito swung down from the branches, landing in a crouch in front of Shinichi. "The smart, thieving kind," he said with a grin. Shinichi dropped a loose handful of snow onto the top of his head just before Kaito straightened up.

"Yeah, okay," Shinichi laughed. "Then I guess I can accept."

.

They walked back to the coffee shop Shinichi frequented as the streetlights came on. Kaito dutifully paid for their drinks and they stripped off their wet scarves and coats at a little corner table.

"I'm a little surprised," Kaito said, swiping a fingerful of whipped cream from the top of his mug. "I mean, I'm glad you agreed, but I wasn't really sure you would."

Shinichi had just taken a long drink from his own cup and Kaito thought the look on his face now was the kind you'd find on a cat that had just claimed the sunniest napping spot. "Well," Shinichi said. "Ran, Sonoko, and Makoto are out on a date, and Hattori and Kazuha are too. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little left out."

"Hm. Mouri-chan, Suzuki-chan, and the prince of kicks?" He scooped up more of his whipped cream and sucked thoughtfully on his finger. "I wonder how Suzuki-chan pulled that off. I wouldn't have thought Mouri-chan and Kyogoku-kun would be into that."

Shinichi shrugged. "The three of them are just a really good fit. Sometimes it takes more than two to balance each other out." He watched Kaito sip at the cocoa under the whipped cream, his nose and cheeks still pink from the cold. His own cheek landed on the heel of his hand. "What about you, KID? How'd you end up with nothing better to do tonight?"

"Well, you know…" Kaito said vaguely. "All my friends are either traveling or doing the couple thing too." He grinned at Shinichi. "But I'm glad you weren't~"

.

They stayed at the coffee shop until it closed. The night had gotten colder and their clothes hadn't really dried so they walked close together and stepped quickly until they made it to the lobby of Shinichi's dorm.

"Now what?" Shinichi asked, shivering a little. "Should we call it a night?"

Kaito glanced at his watch. "I don't really want to," he admitted after a few moments. "It's still Christmas Eve. I kinda don't want to go back to my place and be alone."

Shinichi blinked at him. "Hey, KID. Just so I know, would you have taken just anybody on a date tonight?"

Kaito looked up. "What? No, of course not. I didn't even realize what I was doing when I left earlier today, but I ended up on that bench and when I saw you it just kinda made sense, you know? Do you ever get that? Where your brain is having ideas that you haven't caught up to yet?"

There was something _delighted_ behind Shinichi's eyes when they widened at him. "Yeah. I do."

Kaito smiled. Then he sneezed and wrapped his arms around himself, shivering a little. "I'm not gonna lie. I also don't wanna go back outside just yet. I hate the cold."

"Well, if you want we can head up to my room and get some dry clothes." He started for the elevators without waiting for an answer. Kaito stared after him then ran to catch up.

"My, my, Tantei-kun~" he teased.

Shinichi rolled his eyes and jabbed the call button. "Shut up. The only reason I'm inviting you up and offering you clothes is because you're _KID_. You've already stolen my clothes any number of times before so it's not like it's weird at this point."

Kaito snickered as he followed Shinichi into the elevator. "I think most people would say that's even weirder that you know this and you're still inviting me up."

.

They spent the next half hour in the communal laundry room, empty due to the holiday, just talking and playing cards while they ran their clothes through the dryer. And when they were done, Shinichi had the bemusing experience of Kaitou KID changing them both instantly into dryer-warm clothes and then curling up against Shinichi on a couch like he was some kind of reptile that needed to share body heat. After Shinichi got over the moment of surprise he smiled and hesitantly slipped an arm around Kaito's back. It was kind of nice, after all.

It got less nice when Kaito fell asleep on him.

"Oi!" Shinichi said, poking him in the ribs.

"Huh? What?" Kaito blinked up at him. "Did I fall asleep? Sorry, you're really comfortable."

Shinichi looked away, his cheeks going pink. "You sure you should be getting so comfortable around me, KID?"

"Hm? Why not?"

"Uh…"

Kaito was staring up at him and he honestly didn't seem to think there was anything wrong here. Shinichi couldn't bring himself to lie and say he felt any differently. "Never mind," he muttered.

"We should have brought a movie down," Kaito said, yawning and settling his head against Shinichi again. "And snacks. But I don't wanna move."

"We can't stay down here all night," Shinichi laughed. "We can't be the _only_ ones who stayed on campus over the holiday. It's not like we have the place to ourselves."

"Mm. But what's the alternative?"

"We could go back up to my room. The TV's kinda small but we could still watch a movie if you want."

"Heh. You always bring first dates back to your room, Tantei-kun?"

"You seem trustworthy," Shinichi said, nose in the air, and Kaito laughed out loud.

"Well at least you can be really sure I'm not a murderer." He smiled up at Shinichi. "Yeah, okay. Let's head up."

.

"Hey KID," Shinichi said as the credits slowly scrolled on the TV.

"Hm?"

"Was tonight just a one-time thing?"

Kaito grinned at him. "And how long has _that_ been on your mind?"

"A while," Shinichi said like he was determined not to be embarrassed about it.

"Well," Kaito said. "That seems a little silly doesn't it? I mean, I had a good time tonight. Didn't you?"

"Well yeah," Shinichi muttered.

"Then let's do it again sometime!"

Shinichi let out a little laugh and slid over to drop his shoulder against Kaito where they were sitting side by side on Shinichi's bed. It was kind of nice the way KID could make things simple as easily as he could make them frustratingly complicated or impossible. "Right," Shinichi said, closing his eyes. "Sounds good."

.

Somehow, without realizing it, Shinichi fell asleep there, leaning into Kaito. When he woke to bright winter sunlight through his window he was lying on his bed with his cell phone in his hand, and new name in his contacts list, and a text from Kuroba Kaito.

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 _Merry Christmas, Tantei-kun~!_ _I'll see you again soon_

.

 **Author Note:**

This one went unfinished for about a million years just because it has never stopped nagging me that the prompt says they're the _only_ ones who didn't go home for Christmas and I kept trying to find a way to spin that. But now I need some fluff and I'm telling myself I don't care about that anymore. Snowball fights!

Anyway, this series is _finally_ finished! And damn did I ever forget how tedious it is to post on this site. Now that this is done, I don't think I'll post anything more here. Maybe I'll drop the whole of the sequel to Fall into Flying after I'm done posting it on AO3 just to be fair. If you'd rather not wait, the first three chapters are already up over there ;) Farewell, loves.


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